Wang Family Temple Introduction
The Wang Family Ancestral Temple in Taibao City, Taibao Village, is dedicated to Wang Delu, who served as the Admiral of the Water Army during the Qing Dynasty, as well as to his wife and the ancestral spirits of the Wang family. Wang Delu was born in Taibao City and was the highest-ranking Taiwanese official of his time, achieving remarkable accomplishments and becoming a source of pride for the people of Taibao. The location, at No. 540 on Daan Road in Taibao, is the former residence of General Wang, while the current Wang Family Ancestral Temple was originally his admiralty office. In 1963, the descendants of General Wang invested 800,000 NTD to renovate it into the Wang Family Ancestral Temple. The structure of the ancestral temple is magnificent and houses clothing, armor, a dagger, a sword, everyday utensils, ancestral tablets of Wang Delu, and a few stone sculptures from the old hall, such as the twelve zodiac animals, a stone table in the garden, and a flagpole base outside… etc. Since Wang Delu had ten wives and concubines during his lifetime, his descendants are scattered, leading to challenges in collecting family artifacts. As a result, the ancestral temple cannot display many items; most related relics and documents are presented through photographs or photocopies, including records of his military achievements, petitions from the subjects during the Qing Dynasty, and imperial edicts… etc. The temple also displays portraits of the Wang couple and their siblings, along with several ancient couplets from the Daoguang to Xianfeng eras. Outside the ancestral temple, there is an exquisite garden and a Fujian-style orange-red courtyard. The management of the Wang Family Ancestral Temple is overseen by its descendants on a rotating basis every two years, and ceremonies are held annually during Tomb-Sweeping Day, Lunar New Year, and on the birthday of Wang Delu on May 21 of the lunar calendar.
