Shilin Ciyuan 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 period in the Qing Dynasty) on land donated by a local businessman, He Jintang, and was originally called Tianhou Temple. In 1859 (the ninth year of the Xianfeng period), a violent conflict occurred between Zhang and Quan groups, which affected Zhilanjie and resulted in the burning of Tianhou Temple. After the old street was severely damaged, local gentry Pan Yongqing advocated for the relocation and construction of a new street, gaining the support of most residents, and thus chose to build the new street in the lower part of Shulin, which is today's Shilin New Street. The central area of the street was designated for the temple site, which is now where Ciyuan Temple is located. The temple features a layout with two main halls, two corridors, and two dragon guardians, forming a total of five courtyards. The two halls are connected by a water passage corridor that links the dragon guardians, characteristic of a typical Minnan-style temple. The roof of the first courtyard's San Chuan Hall is built in a hip-and-gable style, commonly referred to as "Prince's Tower." The single winding dragon octagonal columns at the main entrance were crafted during the Guangxu period, while the qilin blocks on either side are from 1828. The painted figures of palace maids and guardian deities Yuchi Gong and Qin Shubao on the doors are extremely detailed, created by the important modern craftsman Chen Yufeng. Next to the main hall, there is a stone wall depicting the old streets of Shilin, evoking memories of the past streetscapes of Shilin.
