Zhishanyan Hwaijih Temple Introduction
At the foot of the Huiji Temple, there is a square resembling a grassland, featuring models of sheep, giving the impression that the ancestors once grazed their livestock here. Following the stairs upward, one passes through a dimly lit forest, where the side rock walls are covered with moss, exuding an ancient ambiance. Along the way, there is a stone archway, which is a historical relic of Zhishan. Beyond it, the path widens considerably. After rounding a bend, the scenery opens up, revealing a flat road that feels entirely different from before, with the Huiji Temple nestled in between. The people from Zhangzhou, upon arriving in Shilin, also brought their guardian deity, the "Kaizhang Shengwang," with them. Legend has it that Zhishan was originally the land of a wealthy man named Huang Shan. About two hundred years ago, Huang Chengqing, a relative from Pinghe County in Zhangzhou Prefecture, brought the offerings of Kaizhang Shengwang to Taiwan and hung them on Zhishan. It is said that miracles occurred, prompting everyone to pool their money to build the Huiji Temple in 1752. Soon after, due to the worship of Guanyin Bodhisattva, it became known as Zhishan Yan Temple. In 1840, Pan Yongqing, a gentry from Shilin, established the Wenchang Shrine on Zhishan and hired teachers to educate the children. By 1874, the three temples merged and henceforth were collectively referred to as the Huiji Temple. Today, most visitors to the Huiji Temple come to pray for success in exams, as there is a Wenchang brush here. It is said that touching the "Wenchang brush" will bring blessings, so parents often bring their children to touch it in hopes of good fortune in their tests.
