Renwu Temple, Chiayi Introduction
The prosperous historical site known as Rénwǔ Temple was established during the Ming Dynasty's Yongli era when Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) used Taiwan as a base to aspire to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. At that time, immigrants from Zhangzhou and Quanzhou in mainland China moved to Taiwan for reclamation. Among them were individuals from Tong'an County in Quanzhou who brought a statue of Emperor Baosheng with them to pray for protection during their settlement. In the 27th year of the Yongli era (1673), during Zheng Jing's westward expedition, troops stationed in the Fengshan area (now Renwu Township in Kaohsiung) were reassigned to the Zhuluo area (now Chiayi City), and officials and soldiers from Quanzhou brought the statue of Emperor Baosheng to be worshiped as the guardian deity of the military and civilians. In the 31st year of the Yongli era (1677), the soldiers built a small shrine to worship him, marking the early establishment of Rénwǔ Temple. By the 40th year of the Kangxi era (1701), the county magistrate of Zhuluo, Mao Fenglun, promoted the construction of a temple dedicated to the deity, commemorating the statue brought by the soldiers of Rénwu Township, naming it Rénwǔ Temple, which became the oldest temple dedicated to Emperor Baosheng in the Chiayi area. After the temple was built, it underwent several renovations and expansions during the Yongzheng, Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Xianfeng eras. In the 13th year of the Showa era (1938), in pursuit of the Japanese assimilation policy, the city governor ordered the closure of 63 temples, including Rénwǔ Temple, confiscating temple properties for the Japanese. The statue of Emperor Baosheng was moved to the City God Temple, while the temple premises were occupied by Japanese merchants. This destruction led to the loss of many historical artifacts, resulting in a significant loss for cultural heritage. After World War II, in the 34th year of the Republic of China (1945), local gentry in Chiayi pooled resources to recover the property of Rénwǔ Temple and rebuilt the temple. On the first day of the first month in the 36th year of the Republic of China (1947), the statue of Emperor Baosheng was welcomed back to the temple, restoring the rituals. In the 50th year of the Republic of China (1961), further renovations were made, including repairs to the main hall’s walls and roof, and new construction of a four-pillar pavilion, side corridors, and a worship hall using concrete pillars mixed with original wooden pillars. Rénwǔ Temple is impressive, featuring intricately carved beams and painted rafters, a colorful glazed roof, and vivid depictions of flowers, birds, and figures. Today, the entire structure of Rénwǔ Temple is built from camphor wood, preserving its historical value, with the door gods painted by Master Pan Lishui, showcasing artistic merit. Despite multiple rebuilds, the temple retains its original appearance, with exquisite paintings, stone carvings, wood carvings, clay sculptures, and ridge ornaments, giving it a majestic presence. Inside Rénwǔ Temple, there is a stone incense burner that has stood for thirty years, originally housing a statue of the Earth God. Due to the perceived efficacy of the temple's fortune slips, many visitors come to seek fortunes. According to the temple, many believers claim to be "godchildren" of Emperor Baosheng, which is a folk custom seeking divine blessings.
