Chiayi Shrine Chozuya Introduction
The "Chozuya" of Chiayi Shrine, which has been dry for nearly half a century, has been restored! Located across from the Chiayi City Historical Archive, the history of Chiayi Shrine dates back to 1911 when the Japanese promoted Shintoism and implemented the Japanization movement. The Chiayi Prefecture actively worked to establish Chiayi Shrine. The shrine has two iterations; the first was inaugurated in 1915, located in front of the current Sun Shooting Tower. Due to the large number of worshippers at that time, a second shrine was built to accommodate them. The overall historical site includes the ruins of the first shrine, the ritual tool storage, the Chozuya, the rest area (meeting place), the ceremonial hall, and the administrative office. The Chozuya of the second Chiayi Shrine was inaugurated in 1945, designed as a standalone four-pillar structure with an octagonal overflow tank in the center, featuring a stone basin and a long-handled water scoop, allowing worshippers to wash their hands and rinse their mouths, achieving a state of physical and mental purification. To protect the historical site, running water was brought in with automatic sensors installed to allow for self-service water, letting visitors experience the purification steps like those at Japanese shrines. It is hoped that this restoration will lead more people to learn about the historical culture of the shrine when visiting the Chiayi City Historical Archive. Informational signs are set up in the Chozuya to guide visitors through the purification steps: (1) Use the right hand to take the long-handled scoop to get water (each person may only take water once) and wash the left hand. (2) Switch the scoop to the left hand and wash the right hand. (3) Return the scoop to the right hand, pour water into the left palm to rinse the mouth (or symbolically wet the lips). (4) Stand the scoop upright to wash the handle with the remaining water. (5) Finally, place the water scoop back for the next person to use. Those who have never experienced a Japanese Chozuya are welcome to visit the Chiayi City Historical Archive for this experience, and after use, they should return the wooden scoop to its original place for the next visitor to partake in the ritual of purification.
