Chaolin Temple belongs to Silin Village, Sichun Village, and Lundong Village in Chaozhou Township, serving as the community temple shared by all three settlements. The area was once a part of Netne tribe—one of Fengshan's eight indigenous settlements. The number of Han Chinese settlements in the area steadily increased between Emperor Kangxi's reign and the middle of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing era, as the imperial court sent more people to Taiwan and Han Chinese settlers extended their land cultivation into the Pingtung Plain. Chaolin Temple was built by local residents that raised funds in devotion to their faith. The temple building is valued for its traditional craftsmanship and has considerable significance in terms of feng shui (Chinese geomancy). The temple is small but fully furnished, with the structure of a shrine within a temple. Its layout consists of two main structures, two side wings, and a decorative facade. Chaolin Temple also represents the local economic power at the time it was built, particularly the economic prowess of the Chen family—a powerful clan of Silin Village who donated the land on which Chaolin Temple stands today. Another notable detail about the temple is how it serves as the shared community temple for three villages. This is quite rare in Taiwan and has distinct cultural characteristics, such as how village locations are delimited based on traditional faith in the Five Camps of Celestial Soldiers.
Door panels painted with two generals, Qin Shubao and Yu Chigong
The simple tiger block in the temple is inlaid on the wall of the water corridor
The simple dragon block in the temple is inlaid on the wall of the water passage
Chaolin Palace enshrines the prince. During the Japanese occupation, the government required that the gods should be pure Buddhism or Confucian gods. The prince and other gods should be enshrined by believers when they return home. The temple temporarily worships Mazu as the main god. The picture shows the setting at that time. The incense burner of Our Lady of Heaven, used to this day, has historical significance
The pebbles in the main hall and the front hall and the gables of the partial roof are built with pebbles. The pebbles are stacked with pebbles; they can also be called buckets, empty buckets, and bucket bricks, which are made of thin bricks. Box-shaped, and filled with gravel, soil or bricks, so some of the inside is hollow
Western-style decorative stigmas resembling Greek Ranunculus leaves on the water passage
A simple worship hall in Chaolin Palace, dedicated to the main god, the prince
There are obvious salt crystals on the walls and brickwork of Zuo Hulong’s "Common Warehouse", which is presumably caused by the relationship between the piles of civilian products, fertilizers and salt during the Japanese occupation.
The drawing of the door panel of the front hall of Chaolin Palace and the cut and stick decoration of carp spit and fire dragon ball in the center of the roof ridge