Longshan Temple in Bangka Introduction
Longshan Temple, founded in its early days, boasts a grand scale and exquisite sculptures. It was rebuilt after the major earthquake in the 20th year of the Jiaqing reign (1815 AD) and restored again after a storm in the 6th year of the Tongzhi reign (1867 AD). By the 8th year of the Republic of China, the beams were damaged by termites, prompting the abbot, Master Fuzhi, to donate more than 7,000 yuan of his life savings for the restoration, laying the foundation for the temple's current scale. In the 34th year of the Republic of China, during World War II, it was severely damaged by air raids, with the main hall completely destroyed. However, the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva remained seated on the lotus pedestal, majestic and dignified. In the past, during air raids, residents would take refuge under the lotus seat of Guanyin Bodhisattva, but before this air raid, many residents returned home due to a mosquito infestation, resulting in no casualties when the main hall was destroyed. The residents believed this was due to the protection of Guanyin Bodhisattva, spreading the news of this miracle, making Guanyin Bodhisattva a significant spiritual support for the people of Wanhua. Longshan Temple faces south, designed in a square layout, resembling the classical Chinese three courtyard four-part palace style. It consists of the front hall, main hall, back hall, and protective dragons on either side. The front hall has 11 openings and is divided into San Chuan Hall, Longmen Hall, and Humen Hall. In front of San Chuan Hall stands a pair of copper-engraved dragon columns, unique in Taiwan. The front wall is constructed with a mix of granite and blue stones, featuring stories from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Investiture of the Gods, rich in educational significance. The main hall has a hip-and-gable roof with 42 columns forming a cloister around it. The outer walls display several famous calligrapher inscriptions, and the spiral algae ceiling is constructed entirely without nails, relying on interlocking brackets. The back hall features a typical hip-and-gable roof, serving as a place for the worship of Confucian and Taoist deities. Each side has a bell tower and drum tower. With a unique pagoda-style hexagonal roof, they announce the morning and evening hours. The entire temple's roof ridges and eaves are adorned with shapes of dragons, phoenixes, and qilins, decorated with cut and paste art and Jiaozhi pottery, showcasing brilliant colors that exemplify the essence of Taiwan's cut and paste art. In the 74th year of the Republic of China, the government declared Wanhua Longshan Temple a protected national second-class historic site, ranking alongside the National Palace Museum and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall as the three major attractions for international tourists visiting Taiwan. Longshan Temple also built a cultural plaza building on Cultural Road in Banqiao, which was completed in 2005 and offers various courses and lectures to promote Buddhist teachings and advocate for cultural values in social education. Every year, Wanhua Longshan Temple regularly holds festive celebrations and folk activities, such as the Lantern Festival exhibition in the first month of the lunar calendar, the Buddha Bathing Festival in April, and the Ghost Festival in July. Visitors to Wanhua Longshan Temple can not only admire the beauty of Taiwan's temple architecture but also experience the joy of traditional folk culture. (Source: Official website of Wanhua Longshan Temple)
