Sanxia Qingshui Zushi Temple Introduction
The Qing Shui Zushi Temple, located near the Sanxia Old Street, has a rich history and is dedicated to Qing Shui Zushi. It was founded in the 34th year of the Qianlong reign (1769 AD). Due to years of neglect and deterioration, the temple was reconstructed in the 36th year of the Republic of China with the artistic design and engineering guidance of Professor Li Meishu. The temple boasts many exquisite stone carvings and wooden sculptures, integrating styles from various masters and contemporary artists, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and aesthetics of the time, earning the titles of "Hall of Folk Art" and "Hall of Eastern Art". Visiting this artistic temple, which gathers the works of renowned masters, you can see the ancient construction style of the "Five Gates and Three Halls" temple structure. From the stone steps of the front hall onward, the ground, walls, and columns are all made of stone, with the five gates of the main hall crafted in copper. Inside the temple, the dragon columns, flower and bird columns, and wooden carvings exhibit intricate and elaborate craftsmanship. The temple is built on a stone base with a wooden top, and looking up, you can see beautifully carved wooden works everywhere. The murals and wooden carvings tell stories from "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", "Journey to the West", "Investiture of the Gods", and "Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars", all created by contemporary masters. In the main hall (central hall), the craftsmanship of the wooden carvings above is a must-see, and the transparent carved stone columns and coffered ceiling are stunning. Upon entering the Sanxia Zushi Temple, you will be immediately captivated by its grandeur and the resplendent religious art. Among the many beautiful stone sculptures in the temple, the most eye-catching are the twenty carved stone columns in the grand hall, particularly the three pairs of transparent carved stone columns at the entrance of the main hall - the "Double Dragon Sword Golden Light Gathering Celestial Array" three-layer octagonal double dragon columns, the "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Plum Blossom Column", and the "Double Dragons Facing the Thirty-Six Pass Generals and Eighteen Riders" three-layer octagonal double dragon columns, which are known for their delicacy and dispay the exceptional craftsmanship of the time, earning praise as treasures of the temple. After visiting the main hall (grand hall), remember to look up at the rare spiral coffered ceiling, which features spirals rising layer upon layer with a highly difficult carving technique, making it of great artistic value. Due to the difficulty of maintenance, this is the reason why incense is not burned in the main hall of the Zushi Temple. After exploring Zushi Temple, take a stroll in the nearby streets; in addition to visiting Sanxia Old Street, you can find the Gan Le Cultural and Creative Park where you can enjoy tofu, drink soybean milk, and taste local agricultural products, or visit an indigo dyeing workshop to experience DIY fabric dyeing.
