Houliao Wei Ling Temple, Chi Mei Wang Liao Stone Guard Introduction
Hou-Liao Wei-Ling Temple, dedicated to the worship of the Emperor Baosheng, also known as Dadugu, Wu Zhenjun, was born in Huaji, also known as Yun Dong. His ancestral home is in Baijiao Village, Jishanli, Ming Sheng Township, Tong'an District, Quanzhou, Fujian, which now belongs to Longhai District, Zhangzhou City. From a young age, he was exceptionally intelligent and had a natural talent for Daoism. As he grew, he became well-versed in astronomy, geography, and various classical texts, especially skilled in medicine, which gradually spread his fame among the people. The Hou-Liao Wei-Ling Temple in Baisha Township has a history of over 400 years and is the origin of worshiping the Emperor Baosheng throughout Penghu. The great spiritual presence and divine power of the Emperor Baosheng have been passed down to the villages of Nanbailiao in Huxi Township, where faith remains strong to this day, making him the guardian deity of the entire Hou-Liao area. Founded during the 30th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1602 AD), the temple has undergone multiple renovations and changes over the years. In the Republic of China period, local gentry and elders proposed a reconstruction, which happened for the second time in the 21st year of the Republic (1932), and after 63 years, further reconstruction began after a fire in the 84th year of the Republic (1995), completing in the 87th year (1998). The temple now stands majestically, rich in grandeur and solemnity, with a stone tablet commemorating the renovations placed in one corner of the temple courtyard. Adjacent to the Hou-Liao Wei-Ling Temple is the largest stone Dantang in Taiwan, standing nearly 200 centimeters tall, built in the 22nd year of Daoguang (1842). The origin of this stone comes from the autumn and winter of the 21st year of Daoguang (1841), when reports indicated that evil spirits were causing disturbances around the area known as "Feng Keng Kou" between Hou-Liao and Tongliang in front of the temple. Villagers, unable to withstand the disturbances, prayed to the Emperor Baosheng for guidance, following his instructions to set up a tablet inscribed with "Chimei Wangliang" (a term for demons) to subdue the malevolent spirits and protect the land and its people, which has thus far succeeded in warding off the evils. Originally located at the place of the pacification, the tablet was later moved to the left side of the Wei-Ling Temple. Following multiple renovations, from 2008 to 2009, three layers of base were repaired, stone slabs were paved, and auspicious images such as deer and cranes were engraved, alongside the addition of a pair of Qilin statues and protective railings. The tablet inscribed with "Chimei Wangliang" is a century-old talisman, also the largest of its kind in Taiwan. The "Dantang" is a unique symbolic belief developed by residents of island communities. 【Recommended Stay Time】 0.5 hours
The pavilion next to the Houliao Weiling Temple, with columns that are old temple's spindle-shaped pillars.
