Wenwu Temple Introduction
During the Japanese colonial period, there were originally two temples by Sun Moon Lake: Longfeng Temple in Shuishe Village and Yihua Hall, which was originally located in Bukishi Village (today known as Jiyue Village). Later, due to the Japanese construction of a power generation project, the water level of Sun Moon Lake rose, and both temples had to be relocated. The Electric Power Company purchased the assets of the temples, which then used the proceeds to choose a site and merge into one temple, which was rebuilt in 1934 at Songbailun on the northern shore of Sun Moon Lake and completed in 1938. In 1969, Wun-Wu Temple was rebuilt in the style of Northern Dynasties architecture, with a grand scale and imposing presence. The temple consists of three halls: the front hall, which is the second floor called Shuiyun Palace, is dedicated to the founding ancestors and Wen Chang Di Jun; the central hall, known as the Martial Sage Hall, is dedicated to Guan Sheng Di Jun and Yue Wumu Wang; the rear hall, the Great Achievement Hall, is dedicated to the most revered sage Confucius, along with other deities of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism residing together. The Great Achievement Hall of Wun-Wu Temple is the only Confucian temple in Taiwan with an open central door. According to the temple, this was implemented because Wun-Wu Temple is located by Sun Moon Lake, which attracts many visitors, so the central door was added for the convenience of tourists without any particular significance. However, the bronze statue of Confucius in the Great Achievement Hall is the only Confucian temple statue of its kind in Taiwan. Besides the statue of Confucius, there are also statues of Mencius and Zisi. These three statues originally resided in China and were transferred to Japan’s Sayama Fudō-ji Temple during the upheaval of the Boxer Rebellion at the end of the Qing Dynasty, and they were later replicated and moved to Wun-Wu Temple. As for the statues of Yan Zi and Zeng Zi, they were funded and created by their descendants to accompany Confucius, standing on either side. The large crimson stone lions on both sides of the temple's plaza are also a focal point for visitors. These stone lions were donated by Wu Huoshi, the founder of the Shin Kong Group, which is why the local people affectionately refer to them as "Wu Huoshi." Wun-Wu Temple is backed by mountains and faces the lake, boasting a magnificent terrain and beautiful scenery, serving as a center of faith for the nearby residents with a flourishing incense offering; climbing to the observation platform of the rear hall allows for a distant view of Sun Moon Lake, offering a broad perspective that embodies the grandeur of embracing the world.
