Toyota Biyuan Temple (Zhongshan Park) Introduction
Bilian Temple is located in Fengli Village, near the boundary with Fengping Village, close to the site of the Mori-moto settlement during the Japanese colonial period. To the south of the temple is a grove of osmanthus bamboo, and the temple entrance faces north, featuring intricately carved dragon carved columns. Two guardian dogs are positioned at the temple, indicating that it was originally a Japanese shrine; adjacent to it is another pair of stone lions, erected after the war. These two pairs of guardian beasts from different cultures coexist peacefully, reflecting the mixed nature of Taiwanese folk culture. Outside the temple steps is a forest interspersed with christmas berry and banyan trees, and to the northwest of the forest lies Fengnian Terrace, which originally had a century-old giant pine tree standing tall; beneath the pine was a washing area for devotees to cleanse their hands and face. Unfortunately, the old pine became infested with pests and has since died. Nearby stands a commemorative stone from the thirtieth anniversary of the village, inscribed with "June of Showa 17, thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of the village, written by Governor-General Hasegawa Kiyo"; further along, on both sides of the path leading to the mountain, there are several pairs of Japanese stone lanterns (Mikoshi-dōrō) with openings shaped like the sun, moon, and squares. Originally, there were dozens of lanterns extending from the temple gate to the lotus pond at the bridgehead. However, due to the construction of Fengnian Terrace, some were destroyed, and the lantern posts were broken off, leaving only the lantern tops which were turned upside down to be used as tables, placed under the christmas berry tree for chess playing and tea tasting. Fengnian Terrace was originally built in the center in front of the temple, at the location of the pond; it was later moved to the northwest corner to avoid obstructing the temple view, and the original spot was transformed into a pond. After the 1990s, Bilian Temple underwent renovations to restore its traditional style, and the stone lanterns that were turned upside down as tables were re-erected, resulting in the shorter stone lanterns you see today as part of the reconstruction.
