Chen Te-hsing Hall Introduction
The Chen De Xing Hall is the ancestral temple of the Chen family in the Taipei area, designed and built by the renowned Taiwanese craftsman Chen Ying-bin. The hall features a magnificent heavily bracketed eaves and hip roof, with exquisite wooden structures and dougong brackets. The smooth curves of the eaves and ridge showcase high artistic value. The stone-carved double dragon pillars at the front hall are considered one of the earliest examples of "one pillar with double dragons" in modern Taiwan, having a profound influence on later temple constructions. Inside the main hall, the deity altar is enormous and richly adorned with intricate wood carvings, characterized by delicately carved railings. The pewter ritual utensils and celestial candle platform in front of the altar are well preserved and are remarkable examples that are rare in Taiwan. Today, besides serving as the Chen family ancestral hall, it is also used as a kindergarten, and its maintenance is quite good. It received the Preservation Contribution Award at the 3rd National Cultural Heritage Preservation Awards by the Ministry of Culture in 2014, making it worth a visit. After exploring the Chen De Xing Hall, visitors can also take a stroll in the nearby Ningxia Night Market, which is filled with a strong taste of Taiwan! (Some content is excerpted from the Taipei City Cultural Affairs Department website)
