Ziyun Temple Introduction
Ziyun Temple is a famous historical site in the Chiayi area, designated as a third-class monument. It is located at Bantian Rock on the edge of the Alishan Mountain Range, approximately seventeen kilometers from Chiayi City. Among Buddhist temples in Taiwan, it is one of the older historical sites, founded in the 21st year of the Kangxi era (1682), making it over three hundred years old. Ziyun Temple faces southeast and features a temple structure with five openings, two courtyards, and dragons guarding on both sides. In front of the temple, there is a wide courtyard, with two tiers of bell and drum towers on either side of the water corridors. The columns in the front hall are inscribed with: "Purple light glimpses colors, cloud shadows reflect cicadas' hearts." The outer eaves are decorated with carvings on the three front beams, and there are two stone carvings of paired unicorns on the left and right of the central entrance. The craftsmanship of Ziyun Temple is exceptionally delicate, with carvings of dragon pillars, phoenix tails, and rafters that are awe-inspiring. Between the gable walls, there is a "Buddha's Incense Lamp Stele" from 1765 (established by Master Juefeng, clarifying the temple's boundaries), a "Bantian Rock Reconstruction Stele" from 1857 (established by Guo Zhuohai), as well as records of the construction of the Qingtang Hall and the "Bantian Rock Buddha Stele," among eight ancient steles, all of which are still legible today. In front of the temple, there are two ancient plum trees over two hundred years old, known as "Mandarin Duck Plums." Surrounding the temple are several hectares of Paulownia and Tung trees, and during the blooming season, they create a spectacular sea of white flowers, filling the air with a fragrant aroma that refreshes the spirit.
