Liouhsing Temple Introduction
Liuxing Temple was founded by General Wang De-lu, and it is said to have close ties with Xinguang Fengtiangong Temple and Beigang Chaotian Temple, as all three temples share the same three Mazu statues inherited from the Benkang Tianhou Temple. According to legend, in the second year of the Jiaqing era (1797), the Benkang River (now Xinguang River) flooded, destroying the streets of Benkang and the earliest Mazu temple in Chiayi, the Benkang Tianhou Temple. The three Mazu statues originally enshrined in the temple had to be temporarily placed in the Land God Temple until the completion of the Xinguang Fengtiangong Temple, initiated by General Wang De-lu, in the 16th year of the Jiaqing era (1811). In the sixth year of the Daoguang era (1826), the Xinguang Fengtiangong Temple and Beigang Chaotian Temple competed to enshrine the Mazu statues. After mediation by General Wang De-lu, Da Ma was enshrined at the Xinguang Fengtiangong Temple, Er Ma at the Beigang Chaotian Temple, and San Ma was invited back to be enshrined at the general's residence in the north of the river. Subsequently, the general built a new temple on the left side of his residence (now No. 3-1, Xibei Village, Xinguang Township) with the hope that the six villages of Xibei, Yuemei, Yuetan, Anhe, Houchuazi, and Liudouzi would prosper; thus, it was named "Liuxing Temple." In 1906, an earthquake in Chiayi caused Liuxing Temple to collapse and be damaged. In the third year of the Taisho era (1914), Wang De-lu's descendants, along with Jiang Jizhen, Li Wusha, and others, financed the reconstruction of Liuxing Temple at its current site (No. 65, Xibei Village, Xinguang Township) with the renowned craftsman Chen Ying-bin. Then, in the 40th year of the Republic of China (1951), Liuxing Temple was expanded, continuing until the 50th year of the Republic of China (1961), completing its current appearance. In the 78th year of the Republic of China (1989), Taiwan Television Corporation aired the drama "Mazu's Legend," which made the "Black-faced San Ma" of Liuxing Temple a household name.
