Mengjia Qingshui Temple Introduction
Qingshui Temple is located at the intersection of Kangding Road and Changsha Road, and is primarily dedicated to Qingshui Master, which is why it is referred to as Qingshui Temple or Qingshuiyan. Qingshui Master is often called various names in Taiwanese folklore, including Patriarch, Black-faced Master, Penglai Master, and Dropped Nose Patriarch. He was a person from the Northern Song Dynasty, born in Fujian Province, with different legends regarding his personal name, such as Chen Zhao, Chen Ying, and Chen Zhao Ying. From a young age, he practiced Buddhism and gained enlightenment, and built a small hermitage for meditation in the cliffs of Mount Penglai. Due to the clear and cold water in the cave, the hermitage was named Qingshuiyan (Qingshui Rock), which led to the name "Qingshui Master." According to legend, while Qingshui Master was meditating in Qingshuiyan, a ghost used a large fire to blacken the Master's face, but he was unharmed, thus earning him the name "Black-faced Master." The name "Dropped Nose Patriarch" comes from the legend that whenever a disaster was about to occur near the temple, the Patriarch's nose would automatically fall off to warn the residents and believers. On the Dragon and Tiger Walls of Qingshuiyan, there are brick carvings depicting totems. The couplet at the main entrance reads: "For Qingshui, for Penglai, this place divides the Dharma realm; it's a golden body, it's an iron face, the true form is seen upon entry." These are artistic works from the restoration in 1817. Additionally, it is worth mentioning an ancient plaque granted by Emperor Guangxu with the inscription "Meritorious Aid and Rescue."
