Qingcheng Temple Introduction
Qing Cheng Temple, formerly known as Mazu Temple, was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty and has a history of 200 to 300 years. According to legend, when Emperor Jiaqing traveled to Taiwan, he arrived at what was formerly known as "Damao" (now Minxiong). Grateful for the blessings of the "Heavenly Mother," he granted resources for building the temple and sent renowned temple builders from China to construct it. Therefore, it is the only Mazu temple in Taiwan granted imperial recognition by Emperor Jiaqing. The temple primarily enshrines "Dama," who holds a high spiritual status. It is not only the center of faith for the Minxiong area but also a sacred temple for Mazu believers from Yunlin and Chiayi counties. On March 17, 1906, during the 39th year of the Meiji era, an earthquake caused Qing Cheng Temple to collapse, and the site was requisitioned by the Japanese government for road use, forcing Mazu to be temporarily enshrined at the back hall of the Dashiye Temple in Minxiong. Mazu did not have a palace to reside in, which left the devotees feeling helpless. Every year during Mazu's birthday procession, when the palanquin reached the old temple site, it would linger, reluctant to leave. Mazu also conveyed through mediums and poems that she hoped to be reconstructed within a hundred years. In 1999, believers organized a reconstruction committee and actively sought funding for the temple's construction, which took five years to complete.
