Bishan Temple of the God of Zhang Sheng Wang Introduction
Bishanyan is located on Bishan Mountain in Neihu. The temple enshrines the hero of the Min people, Chen Yuan-Guang, along with his generals Li Bo-Yao and Ma Ren. Chen Yuan-Guang, who opened up the Zhangzhou area in Fujian during the late Tang Dynasty, is regarded as the guardian deity of the Zhangzhou people and is respectfully referred to as the "Kaihsiang Shengwang" (Holy King of Opening Zhangzhou). Bishanyan is one of the largest temples dedicated to the Kaihsiang Shengwang in Taiwan, with a thriving incense offering. Legend has it that a certain Huang from Zhangzhou, who crossed the sea to Taiwan with his family for settlement, saw this land as an exceptionally auspicious site. He hung the incense he carried to the stone cave for worship before leaving. Later, as bandits rampant in the area began to attack, in the year 1751, when they planned to assault the peak, they suddenly saw brilliant light radiating from the mountaintop and heard drums beating. It was revealed that the deity of the hung incense had split the sacred stone into three parts, with the central stone representing the Holy King, while the two side stones represented Generals Li and Ma. Loose stones rolled down the mountain, causing the bandits to flee in panic. Local residents who heard the news came to worship here, and indeed the deity granted blessings, leading to the construction of a small stone temple. As the number of worshippers grew, the original small temple became inadequate, leading to the building of the main hall at the original site. After several natural disasters and subsequent renovations, the temple was expanded to its current size with the efforts of local patrons, believers, and temple management committee members. Perched high, Bishanyan overlooks the Taipei Basin; from the platform in front of the temple, one can also see the winding Tamsui River, Liyu Mountain, and terraced fields, all harmonizing with the water and mountain scenery. At night, it offers a view of Taipei Basin, capturing the beauty of night scenes such as Taipei 101, Grand Hotel, and Songshan Airport.
