Taiwan Religious Culture Map

Lukang's Wenwu Temple actually consists in the Wen (Literature) Shrine and the Wu (Martial) Temple. The Wen Shrine is dedicated to Wenchang Dijun (the God of Culture and Literature), while the Wu Temple is dedicated to Guansheng Dijun (more commonly known as Guan Yu). Because the two temples are adjacent to one another, they are typically known collectively as Wenwu Temple. The temples—together with Wenkai Academy, which stands in the same row—form a broad, magnificent, and historically significant three-in-one temple complex. The layout of Wenkai Academy consists of a front gate, main hall, and rear hall. The timber structure of the front gate retains the architectural style popular during the reign of Daoguang Emperor in the Qing era, while traces from the couplet that Teng Chuan-an (dates of birth and death unknown) inscribed on the stone columns is visible to this day, and reads: ""Auspicious signs predict clear days, while harbingers foretell shining clouds. On these grounds we aspire to become wise; through this door we seek accomplishment"". Though Wenkai Academy was built after Wenwu Temple, it is still historically significant for being a symbol of Lukang's literary and cultural prosperity in the past. Wen Shrine, Wu Temple, and Wenkai Temple are three traditional buildings that bear witness to the development of faith, commerce, and culture in Lukang from different perspectives, and illustrate Lukang's cultural prosperity.