Toyota Bilian Temple (Zhongshan Park) Introduction
Bilian Temple is located in Fengli Village, near the border of Fengping Village, and was the site of the Morimoto settlement during the Japanese colonial period. To the south of the temple is a grove of sweet bamboo, and the temple entrance faces north with finely carved dragon-patterned beams. Two guardian dogs stand at the temple, indicating that this temple was originally a Japanese shrine, alongside a pair of stone lions placed after the war. The two pairs of distinct ethnic guardian beasts coexist peacefully, reflecting the mixed character of Taiwanese folk culture. Outside the steps are trees of nightshade and banyan intertwined, and to the northwest of the grove is Fengnian Terrace, which originally featured a century-old towering pine that provided a space for worshippers to wash their faces and hands at the Xiaojian Terrace. Unfortunately, due to pest infestations, the old pine has died. Nearby stands a commemorative stone marking the 30th anniversary of the village's founding, inscribed with "In June of the 17th year of Showa, marking the 30th anniversary of the village's founding, written by Governor General Kiyoshi Hasegawa of Taiwan." Continuing along the mountain road, several pairs of stone lanterns (Mikoshi-dōrō) made in Japan stand to the left and right, with the openings shaped like the sun, moon, and squares. Originally, there were dozens of lantern pairs extending from the temple gate to the heads of the bridge by the lotus pond. Later, due to the construction of Fengnian Terrace, some were destroyed, leaving only the lamp covers, which were turned upside down to serve as tables beneath the nightshade trees for chess and tea. Fengnian Terrace was initially built directly in front of the temple, in the water pond area, but was later moved to the northwest corner for the sake of the temple's view, with the original site converted into a pond. After renovations in the 1990s, Bilian Temple restored its ancient style, with the stone lanterns that were previously turned upside down being reinstated, and the shorter stone lanterns seen today are part of this restoration.
