Peitian Temple Introduction
Peitian Temple was established in the 26th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. It is said that a person from Dongshi Ban月庄, named Lin Ma, was a devout follower of Mazu. Every year, he would travel long distances to Mazu temples to pay his respects. However, due to the arduous journey, this year he decided to bring back the Mazu statue from Meizhou for worship at his home. On his way back with the statue, Lin Ma took a break at a tea pavilion under a camphor tree on the south bank of the Puzi River. Nearby residents learned of this and requested that he stay a few days to allow people to pay their respects to Mazu. A few days later, when Lin Ma intended to continue his journey home, the statue had become so heavy that it could not be moved. After consulting divination, it was revealed that the deity wished to remain there permanently. Consequently, the locals quickly built a small temple for worship; as there was a camphor tree beside the temple, it was named "Camphor Tree Temple." The settlement then developed outward from this temple, and thus, Puzi was previously known as "Pujiakiao," named after this event. Later, "Camphor Tree Temple" was renamed "Peitian Temple," and the reasons for this name change vary. According to the most credible account, during the renovations completed in the 4th year of Tongzhi (1865), the temple board decided that the new name would symbolize "sharing the fragrance of a thousand autumns and contributing to the creation of heaven and earth." Due to the flourishing incense offerings, the temple has undergone continuous renovations over the years, starting with an expansion of the main hall and worship hall in the 54th year of Kangxi. Renovations occurred approximately every fifty years during the Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Tongzhi periods. The fourth renovation during the Japanese colonial period (1915) was believed to have been led by renowned master Chen Ying-bin from Zhangzhou, who employed the "paired work" method and set a precedent for official Japanese subsidies for Taiwanese temple construction. Significant changes after World War II include the renovations of the rear hall and the construction of a bell and drum tower in the 36th year of the Republic of China; the construction of a visitor building from the 64th to the 66th years of the Republic of China; and the renovation of the east and west wings in the 70th year of the Republic of China. The Lantern Festival lantern celebration has been the most distinctive tradition at Peitian Temple for over a hundred years, originating from General Wang De-lu. According to legend, Emperor Jiaqing once granted permission to General Wang to hold 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 allow the public to appreciate them, thus establishing the lantern festival as a tradition for the temple during the Lantern Festival. Architectural Overview: The architectural layout of Peitian Temple roughly resembles the character "囬." Like typical temples, the central axis of the space is the most prestigious, comprising the most ornate San-Chuan Hall, the tallest main hall, and the rear hall, which are the primary places for worship. The left and right sides feature wings used for offices and other spaces. Flanking the main hall are the bell tower and drum tower, highlighting the ornate roof lines. Architectural Features: Peitian Temple was renovated using the "paired work" method. At that time, two sets of craftsmen were invited to work on either side of the central axis, thus achieving competition and saving time. Therefore, standing in the center of San-Chuan Hall and looking up at the roof, one can observe that the wooden components and carvings on both sides are asymmetrical, representing the achievements of the two groups of craftsmen.
