Jiulong Temple Introduction
Driving along the winding mountain road, a vast open space appears before you. As you ascend the steps, a pair of stone lions stand majestically at the temple entrance. The Jiulong Temple, situated at a high elevation, offers a distant view of Wuzhi Mountain. The overall architecture is simple, with refreshing decorations that do not diminish its aesthetic value. Entering the temple, the main deity worshipped is the Jade Emperor, but as you pass through the front hall, you discover a surprising element in the rear shrine—a rare statue of Chiang Kai-shek. Due to the conservative social customs in early Taiwan, the temple authorities were concerned that enshrining the former president as a deity might bring misfortune, so they placed the Jade Emperor in the front to conceal this. With social openness, this practice has spread widely, and it is now considered one of Taiwan's "odd temples."
