Wenxing Temple Introduction
Deity: Qingshui Master; Located in Weixin Village, formerly known as Zhuzaigang, this area was one of the earliest developed regions in Yong'an. In the tenth year of the Qianlong era (1805), devotees raised funds to build a temple—Wenxing Temple—dedicated to Qingshui Master (Heimian Zushi Gong), who is the second ancestor, colloquially known as "Laozu." The rear hall enshrines the Three Sages of the West (Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, and Mahasthamaprapta), as well as Manjushri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Over the past two hundred years, despite the erosion from wind and rain, the temple appears old and worn, yet devotees from near and far continue to come for blessings and incense offerings. During the Japanese occupation, villagers hid the statue to prevent it from being destroyed, but due to years of neglect, it was severely damaged and later rebuilt in the 67th year of the Republic of China, taking three years to complete. Renovations of the front and rear halls occurred once more in the 93rd year of the Republic of China. The door gods were crafted by the temple's master painter Pan Lishui, and a historical plaque inscribed with "Understanding the Zen Essence" is preserved within the temple. Every year on the sixth day of the first lunar month is the birthday of Qingshui Master, celebrated over three days from the fifth to the seventh day of the first lunar month, with around two hundred large tour buses and countless small vehicles arriving to pay respects. Most devotees come from the Dongshan and Baihe Districts of Tainan City and the border area with Chiayi County. Additionally, a peace prayer ritual is held once every four or six years, where Qingshui Master leads up to one hundred incense devotees on a seven-day, six-night pilgrimage to Biyun Temple, praying for national prosperity, peace, and good weather.
