Zhishan Temple (Huiqi Temple) Introduction
At the foot of Huiji Temple, you can see a square that resembles a grassland, featuring models of sheep, as if the ancestors used to graze their flocks here. Following the steps upward, you pass through a dimly lit forest, with moss growing on the nearby rock walls, giving it an ancient feel. Along the way, you will pass through a stone archway, which is a historical relic of Zhishan. After this, you will notice that the path opens up significantly. After a bend, the road swells into a broad, flat surface, in stark contrast to the previous feeling, where Huiji Temple is situated. The people from Zhangzhou brought along their guardian deity, the "Kaizhang Shengwang," when they arrived in Shilin. 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, brought the incense of Kaizhang Shengwang to Taiwan and hung it on Zhishan. Alleged miracles followed, and everyone pooled money together to build Huiji Temple in 1752. Shortly thereafter, due to the worship of Guanyin Bodhisattva, it was also known as Zhishan Yan Temple. In 1840, Pan Yongqing, a gentry of Shilin, established the Wenchang Shrine on Zhishan and hired teachers to educate the children. By 1874, the three temples merged and became collectively referred to as Huiji Temple. Nowadays, many visitors come to Huiji Temple, mostly to pray for success in their exams. There is a Wenchang pen here. Legend has it that if you touch the "Wenchang pen," you will receive blessings. As a result, parents often bring their children to touch the Wenchang pen and pray for smooth examinations.
