Liuxing Temple Introduction
Liukeng Temple was established by General Wang Delu. It is said to have close ties with Xinguang Fengtian Temple and Beigang Chaotian Temple, as they all inherit the three Mazu statues from Penggang Tianhou Temple. According to legend, in the second year of the Jiaqing era (1797), the Penggang River (now Xinguang River) flooded, destroying the streets of Penggang and the earliest Mazu temple in the Chiayi area, Penggang Tianhou Temple. The three Mazu statues originally enshrined in the temple were temporarily placed in the Land God Temple before the completion of the Xinguang Fengtian Temple, advocated by General Wang Delu, in the sixteenth year of Jiaqing (1811). In the sixth year of Daoguang (1826), Xinguang Fengtian Temple and Beigang Chaotian Temple competed to enshrine the Mazu statues. General Wang Delu mediated and decided to enshrine the eldest Mazu in Xinguang Fengtian Temple, the second Mazu in Beigang Chaotian Temple, while the third Mazu was taken back to General Wang's home north of the creek for worship. Afterwards, General Wang established a new temple on the left side of his home (now at No. 3-1, Xibei Village, Xinguang Township), hoping for the prosperity of six villages: Xibei, Yuemei, Yuetan, Anhe, Houchuzi, and Liudouzi, hence the name "Liukeng Temple." In 1906, the Jiayi earthquake caused Liukeng Temple to collapse and be damaged. In the third year of Taisho (1914), Wang Delu's descendants, including Wang Shunji, Jiang Jizhen, and Li Wusha, funded the reconstruction of Liukeng Temple at its current location (No. 65, Xibei Village, Xinguang Township) with the famous craftsman Chen Yingbin. Later, in the 40th year of the Republic (1951), Liukeng Temple was expanded, and by the 50th year of the Republic (1961), it reached its current appearance. In the 78th year of the Republic (1989), Taiwan Television Company aired the drama "Mazu Legend," making "Black-Faced Mazu" from Liukeng Temple a household name.
