Shilin Cihui Temple Introduction
Shilin Ci'an Temple, also known as Shilin Mazu Temple, is dedicated to the Tian Shang Sheng Mu (Queen of Heaven) and is located within the famous Shilin Night Market. The temple's predecessor was established in 1796 (the first year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty) on land donated by the owner He Jintang, initially called Tianhou Temple. In 1859 (the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign), a conflict between the Zhang and Quan factions led to a fire that affected Zhilun Street, resulting in the destruction of Tianhou Temple. After the old street was burned down, local gentry Pan Yongqing advocated for relocating and building a new street, gaining the support of most street residents. The new street was then set up in the current location known as Shilin New Street. The temple features a layout consisting of two main halls, two corridors, and two guardian dragon figures, creating a total of five courtyards. The two halls are connected by a water corridor leading to the guardian dragons, exemplifying the typical Minnan-style temple architecture. The roof of the first hall, San Chuan Hall, is designed in the hip-and-gable style, commonly referred to as the "Prince's Tower." The central door features an octagonal column with a coiling dragon, built during the Guangxu era, while the kirin blocks on either side were created in 1828. The painted images of the palace fairy and the door gods Wei Chi Gong and Qin Shu Bao on the door are intricately detailed and are the work of the significant modern craftsman Chen Yufeng. Next to the main hall, there is a stone wall depicting the old Shilin street, allowing visitors to reminisce about the past appearance of the streets in Shilin.
