Bishan Temple of Zhang Shengwang Introduction
Bishan Temple is located on Bishan Mountain in Neihu. The temple enshrines the national hero of the Min people, Chen Yuan-Guang, along with his subordinates, Generals Li Bo-Yao and Ma Ren. Chen Yuan-Guang pioneered the Zhangzhou area of Fujian during the late Tang dynasty and is regarded as the guardian deity of Zhangzhou, honored as the "Holy King of Opening Zhang." Bishan Temple is one of the largest temples dedicated to the Holy King of Opening Zhang in Taiwan, with a thriving incense trade. Legend has it that a man from Zhangzhou named Huang brought his family to Taiwan by sea for development and saw this place as a rare auspicious site. He hung the incense he carried for worship in a cave and left. Later, the area was plagued by bandits, causing distress among the people. In 1751, when the bandits were planning to attack the peak, they suddenly saw a radiant light at the top of the mountain and heard the sound of drums; it turned out that the incense offerings had divided the stone into three parts, with the central piece representing the Holy King and the two side pieces representing Generals Li and Ma. Loose stones rolled down the mountain, forcing the bandits to flee. Nearby residents came to worship upon hearing the news, and indeed, the divine presence blessed them, prompting the construction of a small stone chamber temple. As the number of worshippers increased, the original small temple could not accommodate the large crowd, so a main hall was built on the original site. After several natural disasters and renovations, with the efforts of local people, believers, and the temple management committee, it has been expanded to its current form. Bishan Temple sits high above, overlooking the Taipei Basin. From the platform in front of the temple, one can see the winding Tamsui River, Liyu Mountain, and terraced fields, with the beauty of water and mountains resonating with one another. At night, it offers a view of the Taipei Basin, capturing the beauty of the night scenery, including Taipei 101, Grand Hotel Taipei, and Songshan Airport.
