Peitian Temple Introduction
Peitian Temple was founded in the 26th year of the Kangxi era. It is said that a resident from Dongshi Banyue Village, Lin Ma, was a devout believer in Mazu. Each year, he would travel long distances to worship at Mazu temples. Due to the arduous journey, he resolved that year to bring back the Mazu statue from Meizhou to worship it at his home. On the way back with the statue, Lin Ma stopped to rest at a tea shed under a sycamore tree on the south bank of the Puzih River. Nearby residents learned of this and invited him to stay a few days so that the public could pay their respects to Mazu. However, after a few days, when Lin Ma intended to leave, the statue inexplicably became too heavy to move. After consulting oracle sticks, the deity revealed that it would remain there forever. Consequently, the local residents quickly built a small temple for worship. Since there was a sycamore tree nearby, the temple was named "Sycamore Temple." The settlement later developed around this temple, and thus Puzih was originally called "Puzijiao," derived from this incident. Later, "Sycamore Temple" was renamed "Peitian Temple." The reasons for the name change vary in accounts, but a more credible explanation is that in the 4th year of the Tongzhi era (1865), when reconstruction work was completed, the temple board chose a name meaning "to share and enjoy the fragrant legacy for a thousand autumns, contributing to heaven and earth's creation," leading to the new name. Peitian Temple has experienced continuous reconstruction over the years due to its thriving incense offerings. The earliest expansion occurred in the 54th year of the Kangxi era, where both the main hall and worship hall were enlarged. Throughout the Qianlong, Jiaqing, and even Tongzhi eras, it underwent reconstruction approximately every fifty years. During the Japanese colonial period (1915), the fourth major reconstruction was believed to be overseen by renowned master Chen Ying-bin from Zhangzhou. This effort employed a "two-site construction" method and marked the beginning of government subsidies for temple constructions in Taiwan. Significant changes post-World War II include the reconstruction of the back hall and the addition of a bell and drum tower in the 36th year of the Republic era; the establishment of a large guest hall from 1975 to 1977; and the renovation of the east and west side rooms in the 70th year of the Republic era. The Lantern Festival celebrations at Peitian Temple, featuring colorful lanterns, have been a distinctive tradition for over a century and are also related to General Wang De-lu. Legend suggests that Emperor Jiaqing granted General Wang the privilege to host a lantern festival in his residence for his elderly siblings to enjoy. Later, General Wang moved the lanterns to Peitian Temple to celebrate Mazu and to allow the public to appreciate the display, which became a traditional Lantern Festival event at the temple. Architectural Introduction: The architectural layout of Peitian Temple generally resembles the character "囬" (a circular shape), similar to that of other temples. The central axis of space is the most auspicious, featuring the most lavish San Chuan Hall, the tallest main hall, and the back hall, which serve as the primary worship areas. The side rooms, located on the left and right, function as offices and other spaces. Bell and drum towers are placed on both sides of the main hall to enhance the grandeur of the roofline. Architectural Features: Peitian Temple was reconstructed using the "two-site construction" method. Two groups of craftsmen were invited to work on either side of the central axis, each completing their respective side to achieve a competitive and time-efficient build. Thus, standing in the center of the San Chuan Hall and looking up at the roof, one can observe that the wooden components and carvings on both sides are asymmetrical, showcasing the unique skills of the two groups of craftsmen.
