Jiantan Gu Temple Introduction
Jiantan has a legendary story; it is said that Koxinga passed by this pond with his troops and that there were water monsters like dragons causing chaos in the waters, endangering many lives. Koxinga threw his treasured sword from his waist into the pond to subdue the monster, and since then the waters became calm. This pond was named "Jiantan" because of Koxinga's act of throwing the sword to quell the demons. According to the "Taiwan Prefectural Gazetteer," Jiantan Temple is located at Bajilan Jiantan. The Tamsui District Gazetteer records that "Jiantan Temple was built in the 38th year of Qianlong by Wu Tinggao and others." There is an inscription at the temple describing a monk named Venerable Ronghua, who encountered a snake blocking his way and consulted omens to predict fortune and misfortune; it indicated great fortune, leading to the establishment of the temple. Furthermore, a vision from the Bodhisattva indicated that eight boats would pass from Shanghai to Keelung, which could raise funds. This indeed came true, and Jiantan Temple was established. Thus, it is believed to have a history of over 350 years, but it was forced to relocate to its current site in Dazhi during the later period of Japanese rule. In front of the temple, there is an archway with green-blue tiles that reads "Jiantan Ancient Temple." The narrow path inside leads to the original site of Jiantan Ancient Temple, where remnants of its old temple pillars and stone tablets are preserved in this garden area. The many traces left on the pillars reflect segments of history, imparting a strong sense of historical significance.
