Tanshui Pavilion Introduction
Tan Shui Pavilion (with a history of over 200 years) is located in Tanyuan Village, Tanzi District, Taichung City, and serves as the spiritual center of the area. During the Qianlong period, a statue of Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy) floated down the stream to Xiaotanzi and emitted light at night; the early settlers built a small stone temple under the bamboo grove by the pond to honor it. In the sixth year of Jiaqing (1801), observing the increasing number of devotees, the villagers pooled their resources to build a pavilion beside the pond to honor the 'Tan Shui Pavilion,' marking its inception. In the fourth year of Daoguang (1824), it was renovated, and the villagers erected a plaque for commemoration. By the fourth year of Guangxu (1878), with donations from Lin Zhenchun and others, it underwent repairs and was expanded, maintaining its complete structure and attracting numerous pilgrims. In the ninth year of the Republic of China, a flood severely damaged the walls and beams of the temple. Villagers Lin Qiongzhang, Fu Jiqi, and Lin Xiwa proposed relocating the temple, and land donor Lin Fengyuan contributed two acres for the site. The temple was rebuilt in April of the same year, and it was officially completed in the twelfth year of the Republic of China. In the fifty-seventh year of the Republic of China, due to frequent leaks in the roof, the local philanthropist Dai Chunbo initiated fundraising for renovation. Devout believers and generous benefactor Wu Tian donated land in front of the temple (41 ping) to create a passage for pilgrims and vehicles, leading to further expansions and renovations, culminating in completion in the winter of the sixty-fifth year of the Republic of China. A management committee was established in the seventieth year. As decades passed, Chairman Dai dedicated himself to raising funds, purchasing eleven private houses behind the temple in the eightieth year of the Republic of China and transforming them into the Grand Hall, completed in the ninetieth year. The original rear hall and side structures, frequently suffering roof leaks, led to the establishment of a repair group in the ninety-third year, resulting in the reconstruction of the central hall while preserving the main hall (Guanyin Hall), creating a rare temple-within-a-temple structure. In May of the ninety-sixth year, they acquired 160.8 ping of land for the temple courtyard, completed by the end of the ninety-sixth year, leading to the current appearance of the temple. The Tan Shui Pavilion features a unique temple-within-a-temple design, where the front hall worships Guanyin Bodhisattva and also enshrines the Dragon Girl of Good Talent, in addition to the foundational 'Water Flow Guanyin.' The second floor of the rear hall houses Shakyamuni Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and various guardian deities. There are eighteen Arhats and a wall of ten thousand Buddhas on the sides, with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and another wall of ten thousand Buddhas on the ground floor. The central hall features the Jade Emperor on the top floor and worships other deities on the lower levels, including the Three Officials, various star gods, and numerous local deities, alongside offices and service areas. The Tan Shui Pavilion's vast grounds and magnificent architecture create an imposing and sacred venue for promoting Dharma and benefiting lives, reflecting its complete structure and historical charm. A cultural corridor (now dismantled) with green tiles was built at the northern end, while a quaint hexagonal pavilion stands in the southwest, surrounded by lush greenery, making it the site of the old Tan Shui Pavilion. Today, it serves as a spiritual refuge for the local community, a perfect place for prayer and blessings.
