Jinshan Cihou Temple Introduction
The Cihu Temple, located on Xiakang Street in Jinshan, has a history of two hundred years and is the largest temple in Jinshan, primarily dedicated to the Golden-Faced Mazu, serving as the local center of faith, referred to as the "Great Temple" by the local Jinshan people. The intricate artistic expressions, from the pedestal, roof frames, roof, to the building itself, are all worthy of careful appreciation. The main hall features octagonal dragon columns, which are exquisite craftsmanship from the Qing Dynasty Tongzhi period and are quite rare. The Cihu Temple's Mazu is divided into the "Big Mazu" and the "Second Mazu." The Second Mazu once drifted in the sea and was discovered at the Yehliu coastline. Because the statue is only eight inches tall, the devotees pooled resources to carve a large Mazu statue to match the size of the Big Mazu, which is the origin of the term "Mazu among Mazu." Subsequently, the Second Mazu makes an annual pilgrimage from Jinshan to Yehliu to "return home" on the 16th day of the fourth lunar month, becoming a unique celebratory event among Jinshan, Shimen, and Wanli.
