Xinzhuang Jiaying Temple Introduction
Jia Ying Temple, located in the Xinwen area, serves as a spiritual center for fishermen seeking safety. The main deity of the temple is King Weng of the Nine Dragons, representing Wei Tianzhong, a loyal minister from the late Southern Song Dynasty, along with his father Wei Guozuo and grandfather Wei Liaoweng. Established over 280 years ago, the temple is now situated along the bustling Provincial Highway 17. Initially, it was a simple grass hut by the sea, but as the number of believers grew and the incense offerings flourished, the temple was relocated to its current site, gradually expanding to its present scale. The "Chongshui Road, Welcoming the King" event at Budai Xinwen Jia Ying Temple is a rare temple fair activity in Taiwan. Believers believe that on the 27th day of the third lunar month each year, 20 "Guest Kings," including seven mountain patrolling kings and thirteen sea patrolling kings, gather on an invisible royal boat off the coast of Xinwen in Budai Township. The royal boat, following the rising tide, enters the Xinwen area to visit. On this day, in order to fulfill their hospitality, the deities worshipped at Jia Ying Temple, including King Yin and King Weng of the Nine Dragons, invite nearby temple deities such as the old Three Kings of Nankunshan, the Sugar Goddess of Beigang Chaotian Temple, and the Three Mamas of Puzi Peitian Temple to the sea for the welcoming ceremony, with dozens of divine palanquins rushing into the water. This marks the origin of the "Chongshui Road, Welcoming the King" folk festival. Today, the century-old "Chongshui Road, Welcoming the King" has become a major annual festival in Xinwen and attracts believers from all over Taiwan, making it one of the most iconic activities that combine religion and culture in the Chiayi coastal region.
