Bishanyan Kaizhang Shengwang Temple Introduction
Bishanyan is located on Bishan Mountain in Neihu. The temple enshrines the Minanese national hero Chen Yuan-Guang and his subordinates Generals Li Bo-Yao and Ma Ren. Chen Yuan-Guang developed the Zhangzhou area in Fujian at the end of the Tang Dynasty and is regarded as the guardian deity of Zhangzhou, honored as the "Holy King of Kaizhang." Bishanyan is one of the largest temples dedicated to the Holy King of Kaizhang in Taiwan, with a flourishing incense offering. According to legend, a person named Huang from Zhangzhou brought his family across the sea to Taiwan for settlement. Upon seeing this place, he found it to be a rare auspicious site and hung his incense offerings in a stone cave after worshiping. Later, a band of robbers rampant in the area intended to assault the site in 1751, but they suddenly saw radiant light from the mountaintop and heard the sound of war drums. It turned out that the deity from the incense offerings split into three stones: the central stone representing the Holy King and the two side stones representing Generals Li and Ma. Rocks rolled down from the surroundings, causing the robbers to abandon their weapons and flee. Local residents came to worship upon hearing the news, and indeed, the deity blessed them, leading to the construction of a small stone temple. As the number of worshippers increased, the original small temple could not accommodate them, prompting the construction of a main hall at the original site. After several natural disasters and numerous renovations, with the efforts of local patrons, believers, and temple management committees, it was expanded to its current form. Perched high on the mountain, Bishanyan overlooks the Taipei Basin. From the platform in front of the temple, one can also see the meandering Tamsui River, Liyu Mountain, and terraced fields, creating a harmonious scene of water and mountains. At night, the view of the Taipei Basin includes the beautiful night scenery of Taipei 101, the Grand Hotel, and Songshan Airport.
