Taiwan Religious Culture Map

Due to trade relations with China's coastal areas, Wuqi had become a full-fledged port city by Emperor Qianlong's reign. Increased trade activity during Daoguang Emperor's reign made the people of Wuqi's coastal area wealthier, allowing them to build temples honoring their tutelary deities. Temples built during this period include Shun'an Temple, Bao'an Temple, Datian Temple, Zhenwu Temple, and Wanxing Temple. Located in Zhonghe Village, the Zhenwu Temple in Wuqi—dedicated to Xuantian Shangdi—was built in the 29th year of Daoguang Emperor's reign (1849 CE). The temple was severely damaged by the Shinchiku-Taichū earthquake in the 10th year of the Shōwa era (Japanese colonial period; 1935 CE) and underwent two renovations in the 42nd (1953 CE) and 65th years of the Republic (1976 CE) before becoming the temple we see today. After Taichung County made the temple a county-designated historic site in 2003, restoration of the temple was completed in 2009. It is a model case of historic preservation; everything from mural maintenance and overhaul of wooden structures, to the choice of materials was handled with utmost care. The gourd-shaped brackets in the hall have an elegant Quanzhou-style design with a flowing, clean contour and simple, unembellished details that fully exhibit the traditional craftsmanship of local artisans. The temple is now a municipal historic site of Taichung City, and it was featured heavily in the film Din Tao: Leader of the Parade along with two other temples in Wuqi District—the Haotian Temple of Dazhuang and Yongyuan Temple of Anliang Harbor.