Pei Tian Gong Introduction
Peitian Temple was established in the 26th year of the Kangxi era. It is said that a resident from Dongshi Banyuezhuang, named Lin Ma, was a devout believer in Mazu. Every year, he would travel to various Mazu temples to pay his respects, and due to the arduous journey, he decided that year to bring back a statue of Mazu from Meizhou to worship at home. On the way back with the statue, Lin Ma stopped to rest at a tea pavilion under a tree on the south bank of the Puzi River. Upon hearing this, local residents requested that he stay for a few days so that the public could worship Mazu. However, days later, when Lin Ma was ready to continue his journey home, the statue became so heavy that it could not be moved. After seeking divination, the deity revealed that it would forever guard this place. Thus, the locals built a small temple for worship; as there was a tree beside the temple, it was named "Puzhu Temple." The settlement later developed around this temple, so Puzi was originally called "Puzijiao," named after this. "Puzhu Temple" was later renamed "Peitian Temple." The reasons for the renaming are various, but the more credible account states that during renovations in the 4th year of the Tongzhi era (1865), the temple board decided to name the temple with the meaning of "sharing the fragrance of a thousand autumns and participating in the creation of heaven and earth." Due to its thriving incense offerings, Peitian Temple has undergone continuous renovations over the years, with the earliest being an expansion of the central hall and worship hall in the 54th year of the Kangxi era. During the Qianlong, Jiaqing, and even the Tongzhi periods, renovations were conducted approximately every fifty years. The fourth renovation during the Japanese occupation period (1915) was believed to be supervised by master craftsman Chen Yingbin from Zhangzhou, using a "dual-site construction" method, and marked the beginning of official Japanese assistance for the construction of temples in Taiwan. After World War II, major changes included renovations of the rear hall in the 36th year of the Republic of China and the construction of the bell and drum towers; in the 64th to 66th years, a new service building for worshippers was built; and in the 70th year, the east and west side rooms were renovated. The Lantern Festival celebration at Peitian Temple is the most distinctive event, with a history of over a century, also related to General Wang Delu. According to legend, the Jiaqing Emperor once granted General Wang the privilege to hold a lantern festival at his residence for his elderly siblings to enjoy. Later, General Wang moved the lantern celebration to Peitian Temple to honor Mazu and allow the public to appreciate it, making the lantern festival a tradition of the temple during the Lantern Festival. Architectural Overview: The layout of Peitian Temple is generally in the shape of a "回" (hui) character. Like most temples, the central axis space is the most sacred, with the splendid Sanchuan Hall, the tallest main hall, and the rear hall, which are also the main worship locations. The left and right sides are side rooms, used for offices and other spaces. The bell tower and drum tower are set on both sides of the main hall to highlight the splendid roof lines. Architectural Features: Peitian Temple was renovated using the "dual-site construction" method, with two groups of craftsmen working on either side of the central axis to compete and save time. Therefore, when standing in the center of Sanchuan Hall and looking up at the roof, one can notice that the wooden components and carvings on both sides are asymmetrical, showcasing the unique skills of the two groups of craftsmen.
