Beitou Puji Temple Introduction
According to the "Treasured Guide to Notable Buddhist Sites in Taiwan" published by the Min De Studio in Taipei in 1941, the Puji Temple and the Linji Huguo Zen Temple, both designated as historical sites by Taipei city, serve as the missionary points of the Myoshin Temple branch of the Linji School in Taipei. When rebuilt in 1934, it was named "Tiezhen Temple" after Taira Makoto, the Transport Section Chief of the Japanese Government-General of Taiwan's Railway Bureau, as most of its followers were employees of the bureau. A monument to Taira Makoto was established within the temple. In 1998, it was officially designated as a historical site, surrounded by an atmosphere of tranquility and comfort. The temple features a clearly Japanese architectural style; the main hall is a single-eaved Xieshan-style building with a width of three bays and a depth of three bays, forming a nearly square structure. The roof extends outward to form the entrance porch, and the elevated flooring inside the main hall is covered with tatami, showcasing the simplicity, tranquility, and solemn beauty of a Japanese temple. The main hall is constructed of high-quality hinoki wood. The temple still retains Japanese ritual practices, distinguishing it from traditional Taiwanese worship models. Notably, the bell-shaped window next to the main entrance is quite unique, and visitors can see the intricately carved dougong brackets and the beautiful patterns of the rainbow beams on the entrance porch, with a plaque bearing the name "Puji Temple" handwritten by Yu Ruren. It is also worth mentioning that inside the pavilion on the left side of the temple is a stone Buddha statue, depicted holding a baby in its left arm and a staff in its right, which the general public identifies as the "Childbearing Guanyin." However, Buddhist scholars regard it as the Japanese "Koyasu Kannon," an incarnation of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, attracting many devotees who come to pray for children. The Tu Guanyin and Koyasu Kannon have become significant features of the temple.
