Liuxing Temple Introduction
Liuxing Temple was founded by General Wang Delu. According to legend, it has close connections with Xinkang Feng Tian Temple and Beigang Chaotian Temple, all of which inherit three Mazu statues from the Benkang Tianhou Temple. Traditionally, in the second year of the Jiaqing era (1797), the Benkang River (now known as Xinkang River) flooded, destroying the streets of Benkang and the earliest Mazu temple in the Chiayi area, the Benkang Tianhou Temple. The three Mazu statues originally enshrined in the temple could only be temporarily placed in the Earth God Temple before the completion of the Xinkang “Feng Tian Temple,” which was advocated by General Wang Delu in the sixteenth year of the Jiaqing era (1811). In the sixth year of the Daoguang era (1826), Xinkang Feng Tian Temple and Beigang Chaotian Temple competed to enshrine the Mazu statues. General Wang Delu mediated the situation, allowing the major Mazu to be enshrined in Xinkang Feng Tian Temple, the second Mazu in Beigang Chaotian Temple, and the third Mazu was invited back by General Wang to his residence in the northern riverside for worship. Subsequently, General Wang built a new temple on the left side of his residence (now at No. 1-3, Xibei Village, Xinkang Township), hoping that the temple's location would prosper the six villages of Xibei, Yuemei, Yuetan, Anhe, Houcuozi, and Liudouzai, hence naming it "Liuxing Temple." In 1906, an earthquake in Chiayi caused Liuxing Temple to collapse and be severely damaged. In the third year of the Taisho era (1914), descendants of Wang Delu, including Wang Shunji, Jiang Jizhen, and Li Wusha, funded the reconstruction of Liuxing Temple at its current location (No. 65, Xibei Village, Xinkang Township) by hiring master craftsman Chen Yingbin. The temple was expanded in the 40th year of the Republic of China (1951), continuing until the 50th year (1961), when Liuxing Temple reached its current appearance. In the 78th year of the Republic of China (1989), Taiwan Television Company broadcast the TV drama "Mazu's Legend," making Liuxing Temple's "Black-faced Three Mazu" a widely recognized term.
