Cihu Temple Introduction
Commonly known as "Jinbaoli Mazu Temple," it is the largest temple in Jinshan, primarily dedicated to the Golden-Faced Mazu and serves as the center of local faith, fondly referred to by villagers as the "Great Temple." Locals believe that touching the Dragon Pillar will bring prosperity, resulting in the tips of the dragon's tongue and the round ball becoming polished. On either side of the Mazu are the Thousand-Mile Eye and the Shunfeng Ear, holding gold ingots, symbolizing the attraction of wealth. The Jinshan Cihu Temple, with a history of 200 years, is not only the most important Mazu temple on the northern coast but also has a unique legend of the Jinshan Mazu visiting Yehliu, stemming from an ancient folk tale. It is said that during the Qing Dynasty's Jiaqing era (1796-1820), the idol of the "Golden-Faced Mazu" drifted at sea and later washed ashore at Yehliu's coastal cave (now known as Mazu Cave), where local villagers began to worship it. As Mazu's miracles multiplied, worshippers flocked to pray for blessings. The villagers of Yehliu decided to build a grand temple for worship, and in the 14th year of Jiaqing (1809), the temple was completed in Jinshan and named "Tianhou Temple," welcoming the Mazu deity from Yehliu for veneration. After losing Mazu, the people of Yehliu continued to remember her but felt helpless. Eventually, after several negotiations, the people of Jinshan decided to invite Mazu back for one day each year to the coastal cave where she was originally discovered, facilitating the worship of the Yehliu people; this is the main reason for the Jinshan Mazu's annual visit to Yehliu.
