Dashiye Temple Introduction
Historical Development:
Construction Year: The exact founding date is unknown, rebuilt in the 12th year of the Taisho era (1923).
Main Deity: Guanyin Bodhisattva (Da Si Ye)
The origin date of this temple's construction cannot be verified and may date back to the Qianlong period. The temple was completely destroyed in the Meiji 39 (1906) Meishan earthquake. By the 12th year of the Taisho era (1923), the faithful gathered donations for reconstruction, and the temple combined the main deities of the Dasiye Temple, Qingcheng Palace (Mazu), Kaizhang Shengwang Temple (Chen Yuanguang), and Kaitai Shengwang Temple (Zheng Chenggong) that were also affected by the earthquake in the Minxiong area. However, due to the colonial religious policies of Japan, it was rebuilt under the name "Ciji Temple." The original temple name was restored in the 76th year of the Republic of China (1987).
Da Si Ye, also known as Da Si Ye Bo or Da Si Ye Gong, has many origin stories: one claim is that Da Si Ye is the King of Ghosts, who was later subdued by Guanyin Bodhisattva; another suggests that Guanyin Bodhisattva manifested as the King of Ghosts to subdue various demons; the county chronicle records that the people of Beigang from Quanzhou and the Minxiong people from Zhangzhou fought over a trivial matter, resulting in many casualties. Consequently, both sides agreed to hold a ritual to honor the souls of the deceased, with Da Si Ye symbolizing the spirits of the dead; there is also a belief that due to a plague, the ancestors worshiped Da Si Ye, who was originally revered in their homeland, in hopes of alleviating the diseases. Although these interpretations are inconsistent, they reflect the temple's roles in resolving conflicts, promoting social harmony among immigrants, and providing peace during epidemics.
In the past, Da Si Ye was only worshiped at street corners during the universality rituals with paper effigies (or it is said that Guanyin Bodhisattva took on the appearance of the King of Ghosts during this period); thus, on regular days, only Guanyin Bodhisattva could be seen seated in the main hall. The annual major event in Minxiong, the Da Si Ye Festival, takes place from the 21st to the 23rd day of the seventh lunar month, when a paper effigy of Da Si Ye with a blue face and fangs is enshrined in the main hall. At the end of the universality ritual, the Da Si Ye effigy and other paper offerings such as the Mountain God and Earth God are burned to symbolize Da Si Ye taking away the spirits of the deceased, restoring peace to the community.
Architectural Overview:
The current structure of the Da Si Ye Temple was rebuilt in the 12th year of the Taisho era and enshrines the deities from four temples, thus the layout of the Da Si Ye Temple is divided into four main parts: the left and right side halls are the Kaizhang Shengwang Hall and the Kaitai Shengwang Hall, while the central axis features the San Chuan Hall and the main hall as the temple's main body, and the rear hall is Qingcheng Palace, which worships Mazu. Additionally, the alignment of the San Chuan Hall and the gates on both sides gives a sense of multiple temples in proximity.
The oldest components of this temple are likely the stone lions from the San Chuan Hall and the bead columns from the rear hall, which are remnants from the former Qingcheng Palace carved in the 14th year of the Jiaqing reign. The stone lions, in particular, are high-quality sculptures of the mid-Qing dynasty style and deserve close appreciation. Furthermore, the wood carvings in the San Chuan Hall are intricate and feature unique themes, including figures of scholars, farmers, woodcutters, and fishermen, along with carvings depicting hellish scenes.
Architectural Features:
The rebuilt beams, columns, and stones of this temple mainly come from Qingcheng Palace and other temples that were also toppled in the 1905 earthquake. Moreover, some artifacts from the Qing dynasty period are preserved, thereby indirectly maintaining the temple culture of the Minxiong area.
