Yehliu Bao'an Temple Introduction
Located next to Yehliu Fishing Port in Wanli District, Baosheng Temple is dedicated to the "Kaizhang Shengwang," the most revered deity among local fishermen and a symbol of spiritual support. According to oral tradition from the elders, the origin of this deity is based on the discovery of a boat filled with construction materials and a statue of the deity by the ancestors at sea. The local residents sought a place for the deity and chose the current site of Baosheng Temple. The original temple was smaller, primarily made of stone, with materials that crossed the ocean. After numerous modifications and expansions, most of the original structure has disappeared, leaving only a few stone pillars and bases for future generations to remember and reflect upon. The belief in "Kaizhang Shengwang," the guardian deity of the Wanli area, has a long history. The "Yehliu God Purification Cultural Festival" held on the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year has a history of over a hundred years, and it is one of the few intangible cultural assets registered under the folk category. It is a festival activity on par with the "North Sky Lanterns, South Firecrackers" celebrations during the Lantern Festival. Its most distinctive feature is the phrase "coming from the water, going through the fire." The ceremony includes four main activities: "Purification of the Sea," "Bountiful Catch," "Gods Purifying the Port," and "Gods Passing Through Fire," making it a unique centennial traditional religious ceremony in Taiwan.
