Longshan Temple in Mengjia Introduction
Longshan Temple, established in its early days, boasts a grand scale and exquisite sculptures. It was rebuilt after the great earthquake of the 20th year of the Jiaqing reign (1815), and again after a storm in the 6th year of the Tongzhi reign (1867). In the 8th year of the Republic of China, the wooden beams were damaged by termites. At that time, Master Fuk-Chi, the abbot, donated his life savings of over seven thousand yuan to fund the restoration, laying the foundation for the current scale of Longshan Temple. In the 34th year of the Republic of China, during World War II, the temple was severely damaged by an air raid, with the main hall completely destroyed; however, the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva remained seated on the lotus pedestal, majestic and dignified. In the past, residents took refuge under the lotus seat of Guanyin Bodhisattva during air raids, but just before this air raid, residents returned home due to the unbearable harassment of mosquitoes, resulting in no casualties when the main hall was destroyed. The residents believed this was the protection of Guanyin Bodhisattva and spread the word. This miracle made Guanyin Bodhisattva a significant spiritual support for the people of Monga. Longshan Temple faces south with a square layout, resembling the palace-style architecture of traditional Chinese three-courtyard four-part compounds, consisting of the front hall, main hall, back hall, and left and right guardian dragons. The front hall has 11 bays, divided into the San Chuan Hall, Longmen Hall, and Humen Hall. In front of the San Chuan Hall are a pair of bronze spiral dragon columns, unique in Taiwan. The front wall is made of a mix of granite and bluish stone, with stories depicted on the wall drawn from "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Investiture of the Gods", providing educational significance. The main hall features a hip-and-gable roof with 42 columns forming the surrounding corridor. The exterior walls contain many stone carvings by famous calligraphers, and the spiral algae well inside is built entirely without nails, relying solely on interlocking brackets. The back hall also features a hip-and-gable roof, which is a typical place for the worship of Confucian and Taoist deities. Each guardian dragon is equipped with a bell tower and a drum tower, with a unique hexagonal roof design. The entire temple's ridge and flying eaves are decorated with auspicious shapes like dragons, phoenixes, and qilins, adorned with paper-cutting and glazed pottery, showcasing the essence of Taiwan's paper-cutting art. In the 74th year of the Republic of China, the government designated Monga Longshan Temple as a second-class historical monument for national protection, ranking alongside the National Palace Museum and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall as the three major attractions for international tourists visiting Taiwan. Longshan Temple has also built a cultural plaza building on Cultural Road in Banqiao, which was completed and opened in the 94th year of the Republic, conducting various courses and lectures to promote Buddhist teachings and enhance cultural value in social education. Monga Longshan Temple regularly organizes festive celebrations and folk activities each year, such as the Lantern Festival exhibition in the first lunar month, the Buddha bathing festival in April, and the Ullambana Festival in July. Visitors to Monga Longshan Temple can not only appreciate the beauty of Taiwanese temple architecture but also experience the joy of traditional folk culture. (Source: Official Website of Monga Longshan Temple)
