National Historic Site of Shuixian Temple Introduction
Xingang originally belonged to the area of Benkang and was developed early on. It was an important port in Taiwan during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Consequently, the residents built three large temples – the Shuixian Temple, Benkang Tianhou Temple, and Xietian Temple – to pray for navigation and commercial prosperity. Shuixian Temple was established in the 4th year of Qianlong (1739) and was originally located on Jiuzhuang Benkang Street. Due to its simplicity, it was proposed to be rebuilt with funds raised by scholar Lin Kaizhou in the 45th year of Qianlong (1780). In the 8th year of Jiaqing (1803), the Beigang River flooded and destroyed the Benkang city area and the three temples. Fortunately, by the 19th year of Jiaqing (1814), the public and craftsmen rebuilt it on the current site using part of the recovered materials, with the scale including two main halls and side rooms. In the 28th year of Daoguang (1848), an additional rear hall was built to enshrine Lord Guan, originally worshipped in the Xietian Temple. The donors of this rear hall included names of businesses, ship names, and various expenses, all documented on a stone tablet in the front hall. It wasn't until the 37th year of the Republic of China (1948) that the Shuixian Temple underwent another renovation. The most recent restoration of the main historical site was completed in the 81st year of the Republic of China (1992). Architectural Introduction: Upon entering the Xingang Shuixian Temple, visitors pass through four main halls: the outermost is the front hall (San Chuan Hall), separated by a courtyard from the worship hall and the main hall, which enshrines Da Yu (Shuixian Zun Wang). The innermost rear hall enshrines the statue of Guan Gong (Guangsheng Emperor). Each main hall has a width corresponding to three-pillar spacing, interconnected by corridors on both sides. Shuixian Temple is a national historical site, protected and valued for its over 200 years of history. Additionally, due to its multiple reconstructions following floods and earthquakes, visitors can see architectural features from the Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Daoguang periods, as well as from the early post-World War II era. The carved beams, painted rafters, and intricate wooden structures of Shuixian Temple are also rare treasures of traditional architecture. It’s worth mentioning that the worship of Shuixian in Taiwan is much less prevalent compared to the Mazu belief, so temples were primarily built in port areas developed by the early immigrants, such as Xingang, Tainan, and Penghu. Consequently, the three largest Shuixian Temples in Taiwan are found in these three locations. Architectural Features: Simply looking up in Shuixian Temple reveals a wealth of wood carvings and paintings. The wooden carving themes include common motifs such as an a'ow fish (dragon head with fish body), lions, phoenixes, and floral birds, as well as rarer depictions of elephants and dragons. Moreover, the structural mechanics of the front hall’s roof are quite ingenious, utilizing the lever principle of a seesaw to support the weight in the center of the eaves, a design not commonly seen in Taiwan. The temple also features murals and door gods painted by the renowned Tainan artist Chen Yufeng, which are worth admiring.
