Shilin Cixian Temple

In 1859 (the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign), armed fighting broke out between settlers from Zhangzhou and Quanzhou. Zhilan Street was caught up and burned, and Tianhou Temple burned down with it. After the old street was destroyed, the local gentleman Pan Yongqing argued for building a new street elsewhere. Most residents agreed, and the new street was built at Xiashulin; this is today's Shilin New Street. At the same time, a site in the centre of the new street area was set aside for the temple, where it stands today. The temple has two halls, two corridors and two side wings, forming five courtyards in all, and covered passages between the halls connect to the wings. It is a typical southern Fujian (Minnan) hall-style temple. The Sanchuan Hall at the front has a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof with upturned ridges, a form popularly called 'taizi lou'. The octagonal single coiled-dragon columns at the central door of the main hall were made in the Guangxu reign, and the qilin panels on either side date from 1828. The painted palace maidens and the door gods Yuchi Gong and Qin Shubao on the doors are finely painted works by Chen Yufeng, an important modern master craftsman. Beside the main hall is a stone wall panel showing Shilin's old street, recalling how its streets once looked.

Translated and shortened by DealTaipei from Taiwan's national tourism database. Sources are on the terms page.