Shiguan Yin Jixian Temple Introduction
In the year before the Republic of China established in 1912, during the Japanese colonial period, the area of Wucheng Village and Xinxing Village had abundant natural-grown camphor trees, which were highly valued by the Japanese for camphor oil. The workers responsible for camphor oil production were called "naoting." While transporting camphor, one naoting suddenly experienced severe abdominal pain after a meal and fainted at this location. A worker, in a hurry, noticed a small amount of water under a stone, quickly fetched it, and after drinking it, the pain disappeared, and he felt rejuvenated. Three years later, in May of the first year of the Republic of China, during the Dragon Boat Festival, dark clouds gathered, and a violent storm caused landslides and the emergence of seven stone lotus flowers. The next day, workers from Jiji saw this and quickly spread the news, prompting around twenty to thirty "naoting" to come and visit. Later, a well-known local geographer named Anhao identified the site as Guanyin Zao Lian, convening a meeting among the naoting to build a temple. In the second year of the Republic of China, a wooden Guanyin Temple was constructed, named Jixian Palace, honoring the Stone Guanyin Bodhisattva. Following that, a railway was developed, facilitating transportation, but also led to the spread of cold and flu symptoms among the people, leaving them pale and weak. The Guanyin Bodhisattva of Jixian Palace showed compassion and revealed to the good men and women inside and outside in dreams, prompting them to obtain clear water. Between the 32nd and 34th years of the Republic, American bombers targeted the Daguang Power Plant, bombing every three to five days, leaving the people anxious and restless. The Guanyin Bodhisattva of the temple demonstrated great power, protecting the residents from bombings, and no lives were lost. On October 25th of the 34th year of the Republic, the area was returned unconditionally, and the people were grateful for the Bodhisattva’s compassion in saving them. In the 35th year of the Republic, the local gentlemen voted to rebuild the temple in brick construction. After the completion of the Minghu Pumped Storage Power Plant in the 71st year of the Republic, the road was widened, making transportation more convenient.
