Nanshan Temple Introduction
Established in 1822, Yanshan Temple is the only well-preserved "Dingguang Buddha Temple" in Taiwan. Dingguang Buddha is a local belief of the Hakka immigrants from Tingzhou in Fujian Province, which was introduced to Taiwan along with the migration. In the past, the Tingzhou immigrants pooled their resources to purchase land and build this temple to worship the guardian deity of their hometown, Dingguang Buddha, and it also served as a meeting place for fellow villagers from Tingzhou. Yanshan Temple is located on Xuefu Road opposite Tamsui MRT Station. Although it is not a large-scale temple, it is architecturally complete, making it a must-visit for those studying traditional temple architecture, featuring the front hall, main hall, Sanchuan Hall, and Hulong, with exquisitely crafted decorations and carvings inside the temple. In front of the temple is a crescent-shaped pond, and behind it are two wells, representing a pair of eyes, while the crescent pond resembles a toad's mouth, forming what is referred to in Feng Shui as a "toad's nest." Friends interested in this should consider researching it closely. Roof design: The main hall features a Sanchuan ridge style, while the left and right protecting rooms are designed with a flat and straight saddle style, presenting a simple and amiable aesthetic. A dragon ridge on the main hall forms a gently rising beautiful arc, the roof also symbolizes the traditional architectural hierarchy. The cut and paste work and clay sculptures on the ridge are exquisite creations; Stone carvings of dragon columns: Yanshan Temple's stone carvings are characterized by their simple shapes and beautiful compositions; Clay sculptures: The colored clay sculptures on the walls of both sides of the front porch of Sanchuan Hall are vivid and expressive, considered masterpieces among clay sculptures; Wood carvings: The top of the stone-carved dragon columns in the front porch features exquisite wooden carvings of hanging tubes and upright branches. These short columns suspended from the beam structure serve to distribute the roof's weight onto each supporting column, playing a crucial role in traditional architecture. Layout and beams: Entering from the front Sanchuan Hall, the left and right sides are the water corridor and protective house, forming a complete enclosed courtyard with the main hall, presenting a tranquil and solemn atmosphere in the courtyard. The artistry of wooden structures in traditional architecture is clearly displayed within Sanchuan Hall, where the truss structure consists of two main beams and three supporting tubes. While understanding the roof structure, one can further appreciate these finely crafted artistic carvings. It is currently listed as a national historic site.
