Sanliao Bay Donglong Temple Introduction
Donglong Temple was built by the early settlers of Sanliaowan who came to Taiwan across the sea with Zheng Chenggong. To ensure a safe passage, they invited the statue of the Lord Li to bless them. In gratitude for the divine protection, they initially established the grass hut and built a temple to honor the deity. Donglong Temple features traditional Min-style architectural design, and the main deities worshipped include Lord Li, Lord Wen, Lord Wu, and the Emperor Baosheng. The temple also enshrines two permanently docked king boats, one made of wood and the other of copper, which were established in 1976; the copper king boat is the only Quanzhou-style ancient sailing vessel in Taiwan, with finely crafted sailor and boat shed carvings that vividly portray the characters, showcasing significant folk artistic value. The cultural belief surrounding the king boats originates from the Donggang River basin in Pingtung. To promote the unique culture of the hometown of the king, the temple established a museum dedicated to the belief in the king, a Water Margin Heroes Hall, and a cultural museum related to customs on the third and fourth floors of the cultural center next to Donglong Temple, showcasing the strength and beauty of religion. The lively "Sending the King Boat" event is held every three years to honor "Lord Wen" on his celestial inspection tour. The boat, known as the "Wen Wang Boat," sets sail on the first day of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar, which is the birthday of Lord Wen. First, it "transports the boat" around the village for worship, then it "navigates" to be cremated; devotees believe that after the celestial inspection, "Lord Wen" will ascend and report to the Jade Emperor before returning to the temple to preside, becoming a famous religious cultural event in Taiwan!
