Pei Tian Gong Introduction
Pei Tian Temple was established in the 26th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. It is said that a resident of Dongshi Banhoxuan, named Lin Ma, was a devout believer in Mazu and would travel long distances to worship at Mazu temples. Due to the arduous journey, he decided that year to bring the Mazu idol back from Meizhou to worship at home. On the way back, Lin Ma rested at a tea stall under a pu tree on the south bank of the Puzi River. When nearby residents learned of this, they requested him to stay for a few days to allow the public to pay their respects to Mazu. However, a few days later, when Lin Ma was ready to return home, the idol became too heavy to move. After consulting divination, the deity indicated that it would remain there forever. Thus, the locals quickly built a small temple to worship, naming it "Pu Tree Temple" after the nearby pu tree. Subsequently, the settlement developed outward centered around this temple, and Puzi was formerly known as "Puzi Jiao," named after this event. Later, "Pu Tree Temple" was renamed "Pei Tian Temple." The reason for the name change is widely discussed, but a more credible explanation states that during the reconstruction in the 4th year of the Tongzhi Emperor's reign (1865), the temple board of directors changed the name to signify "sharing the fragrant offerings of a thousand autumns and participating in the creation of heaven and earth." Pei Tian Temple has flourished with strong incense offerings, leading to continuous renovations over the years. The earliest expansion occurred in the 54th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, with the central hall and worship hall being enlarged. Renovations continued approximately every fifty years during the Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Tongzhi periods. During the Japanese colonial period (1915), the fourth renovation, believed to be overseen by renowned master Chen Ying-bin from Zhangzhou, adopted a "paired" construction method and set a precedent for Japanese government funding of temple renovations in Taiwan. Significant changes after World War II included the renovation of the rear hall and the construction of a bell and drum tower in the 36th year of the Republic of China. The incense hall building was constructed from the 64th to the 66th year, and in the 70th year, the east and west annexes were remodeled. The Lantern Festival lantern display is the most distinctive celebration of Pei Tian Temple for over a century, and its origins are also related to General Wang De-lu. It is said that the Jiaqing Emperor once granted General Wang permission to hold a lantern festival in his residence for his elderly brothers-in-law to enjoy. Later, General Wang moved the lantern display to Pei Tian Temple to celebrate Mazu and allow the public to enjoy it, making the lantern festival a tradition of this temple during the Lantern Festival. Architectural Introduction: The architectural layout of Pei Tian Temple is generally shaped like a "回" character. Similar to other temples, the space along the central axis is the most prestigious, featuring the grandest San Chuan Hall, the tallest main hall, and the rear hall, which are also the primary worship spaces. The left and right sides consist of annexes used for offices and other spaces. Bell and drum towers are set on both sides of the main hall to highlight the exquisite roof lines. Architectural Features: Pei Tian Temple was renovated using the "paired" construction method. At that time, two groups of craftsmen were hired, dividing the work along the central axis, with each group working on the left and right sides to achieve competitive and time-efficient results. Therefore, standing at the center of San Chuan Hall and looking up at the roof, one can notice that the wooden elements and carvings on both sides are asymmetrical, showcasing the unique skills of both groups of craftsmen.
