Shiguanyin Jixian Temple Introduction
In the second year before the Republic of China, during the Japanese occupation, the natural cultivation of camphor trees in Wucheng Village and Xinxing Village was excellent. The Japanese placed great importance on camphor oil, and the workers who produced it were called "nao ding". One day, during the transportation of camphor, after a meal, one nao ding suddenly experienced severe abdominal pain and fainted at this location. A worker, in a hurry, noticed a small amount of water under a rock and went to fetch it. After drinking the clean water, the pain disappeared, and he felt revitalized. Three years later, in May of the first year of the Republic, during the Dragon Boat Festival, a sudden storm with heavy rain caused landslides, revealing seven stone lotus flowers. The next day, workers from Jiji saw this and quickly spread the news, leading two to thirty nao ding to visit. Subsequently, a famous local geographer named An proposed to build a temple dedicated to Guanyin, prompting the nao ding to gather and hold a meeting. In the second year of the Republic, a wooden Guanyin temple named Jixian Palace was constructed, dedicated to the Stone Guanyin Bodhisattva. Later, as a railway was developed across from the temple, the human-powered light rail improved local transportation significantly, but epidemics of cold and fever began to spread, causing the population to suffer with pale faces and weak limbs. The Guanyin of Jixian Palace showed great benevolence, guiding sincere believers from near and far to fetch clean water. Between the 32nd and 34th years of the Republic, American bombing raids targeted the Daguang Power Plant, with frequent bombings causing widespread panic among the people. However, the Guanyin of Jixian Palace displayed her miraculous powers, protecting the population and preventing casualties during the bombings. On October 25th of the 34th year of the Republic, Taiwan was unconditionally liberated, and the people expressed their gratitude to the Guanyin for her compassion and salvation. In the 35th year, the village gentry voted to rebuild the temple with brick construction. Following the completion of the Minghu Pumped Storage Power Plant in the 71st year of the Republic, the roads were further widened, leading to improved transportation.
