Xia Taishan Rock Introduction
Xia Taishan Rock, also known as Xia Temple or Xianying Ancestor Taishan Rock, has two temples located in Taishan District. The higher one, called Ding Taishan Rock, is situated in the southwest area of Taishan, while the lower one, called Xia Taishan Rock, is in the northeast. Both temples worship the same deity, Xianying Ancestor. Ding Taishan Rock was built during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, approximately 250 years ago, by the ancestors of Li Fuyi from Anxi, Quanzhou, Fujian, who were invited to Taiwan to establish the temple. As the number of worshippers grew, there was a local sentiment that it was inconvenient to travel to Ding Taishan for worship, leading to a split in worship practices. Hence, 128 years ago, in the first year of the Guangxu era (1875), two local leaders, Huang Yonglai and Cai Wuzhu, initiated and received donations from worshippers to establish Xia Taishan Rock separate from Ding Taishan Rock. In 1921, during the Taisho period, Xia Taishan Rock underwent expansion, followed by further renovations in the 56th year of the Republic (1967), and completed again in the 65th year (1976), with additional modifications to the main hall's circular pillars in the 71st year (1982). A stone tablet commemorating the renovations from the Taisho period is embedded in the wall of the bell and drum tower, listing the names of donors, amounts, materials, and account balances. The front hall features stone tablet records from the 65th year of the Republic marking renovations. In front of the temple, there is a monument for Taishan Bridge, and across the street, there is a stage for performances. The couplet on the stage reads: “As if true, performing joys and sorrows, both ancient and modern discern good from evil, loyalty and treachery.”
