Beichan Temple, Makung Introduction
Main deity worshipped: Lord Zhu Festival date: May 18th of the lunar calendar. According to legend, during the Tang Dynasty, 360 civil and military scholars encountered misfortune simultaneously. The emperor at the time, Emperor Taizong of Tang, sympathized with their innocence and specially conferred godhood upon them to serve as celestial envoys, patrolling various regions to observe the deeds of mortals, distinguishing good from evil. These 360 scholars divided themselves into groups of five or three to carry out their patrols, exhibiting great divine power wherever they went. When their ship docked, it was always seen as an auspicious sign, and they were welcomed with utmost sincerity at every stop to pray for peace. This custom has been preserved to this day and has not been neglected. Due to the geographical characteristics of the islands of Taiwan and Penghu, the welcoming of the deities is notably more fervent than in other regions. Among them, the most famous is the Southern Kunshen Five Temples Thousand Years. It is said that during the Qing Dynasty, they made a pilgrimage to Penghu, using Tianhou Temple as their base of operations. Therefore, the three major groups of local residents devoted themselves entirely to managing these events. As a token of remembrance and gratitude for divine grace, over twenty individuals, including Huang Jishi, formed a city deity association, sculpting the golden statue of Lord Zhu and alternating in worship for over forty years. In the 13th year of the Republic of China, they began to construct a temple, and it was completed a year later. Because it was built by the residents of Beijia, the temple was named Beichen Temple.
Beichan Temple, Magong
Beichan Temple, Magong
