Bilian Temple (Zhongshan Park) Introduction
Bilian Temple is located near the border between Fengli Village (the site of Fengtian Immigrant Village during the Japanese colonial period) and Fengping Village (the site of Daping in Fengtian Immigrant Village), to the south of Fengli. This area was originally the location of the Morimoto settlement during the Japanese occupation. To the south of the temple, there is a grove of sweet bamboo. The temple entrance faces north, featuring intricately carved dragon columns. Two guardian dogs sit at the temple, conveying that this temple was originally a Shinto shrine; beside them, there is also a pair of stone lions added after the war. The two pairs of guardian beasts from different ethnicities coexist peacefully, reflecting the blended character of Taiwanese folk culture. Outside the steps are forests planted with Indian rubber trees and banyan trees. To the northwest of the forest is Fengnian Pavilion, where once stood a century-old towering pine tree welcoming the sky, with a wash basin underneath for devotees to wash their faces and hands. Unfortunately, the old pine tree has died due to insect infestation. Nearby is a commemorative stone tablet for the thirtieth anniversary of the village's establishment, inscribed with "June of the 17th year of Showa, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the village establishment, written by Taiwan Governor-General Kiyoshi Hasegawa." Further ahead, Japanese stone lanterns (Mikoshi-dō) stand on both sides of the mountain path, with lantern openings shaped like the sun, moon, and squares. Originally, there were dozens of pairs of lanterns extending from the temple entrance to the bridge by the lotus pond. However, some were destroyed to construct Fengnian Pavilion, leaving only the lampshades, which were turned upside down to be used as tables under the rubber trees for playing chess and enjoying tea. Fengnian Pavilion was originally built directly in front of the temple entrance, at the pond area, but was later moved to the northwest corner due to obstruction. The original site was changed into a water pool. After the 1990s, Bilian Temple was renovated, restoring its ancient style, and the stone lanterns turned upside down as tables were reerected; the lower stone lanterns seen today are part of this reconstruction.
