Shilin Cihqian Temple Introduction
Shilin Ciyuan Temple, also known as Shilin Mazu Temple, is dedicated to the Heavenly Mother and is located within the famous Shilin Night Market. The temple's predecessor was built in 1796 (the first year of the Jiaqing era in the Qing Dynasty) on land donated by local resident He Jintang, initially named Tianhou Temple. In 1859 (the ninth year of the Xianfeng era), a violent conflict between Zhang and Quanzhou factions led to widespread destruction, and Tianhou Temple was also burned down. After the old street was devastated, local gentry Pan Yongqing advocated for relocating and establishing a new street, gaining the support of most residents. Thus, they chose to build the new street in the lower part of the Shilin area, which is now known as Shilin New Street. The central area of the street was planned as the temple site, which is the current location of Ciyuan Temple. The temple features a layout of two halls, two corridors, and two protective dragon structures, forming a total of five courtyards. The two halls are connected by water corridors to the protective dragons, representing a typical Minnan-style temple structure. The roof of the first hall, the San Chuan Hall, features a hip-and-gable roof in the style commonly referred to as "Prince Tower." The main entrance’s single twisting dragon octagonal column was constructed during the Guangxu era, while the left and right Kirin blocks are from 1828. The painted images of the palace maidens and deities Wenchang and Qin Shubao on the doors are notably detailed and are the work of the modern skilled craftsman Chen Yufeng. Next to the main hall, there is a stone wall depicting the old Shilin street, allowing visitors to reminisce about the appearance of the streets of Shilin in the past.
