Established in the 30th year of the Meiji era (Japanese colonial period; 1897 CE), Xide Hall is a zhaitang (fasting hall) for followers of the Tsai Gong school of the Jintong sect of zhaijiao (Chinese religions of fasting). The Jintong sect was founded by Wang Tso-tang (1538-1619 CE) during Wanli Emperor's reign in the Ming era and introduced to Putian, Fujian by Tsai Wen-chu (dates of birth and death unknown), who is also known as ""Grandpa Tsai"" and ""Tsai Gong"". The eponymous Tsai Gong school of the religion was introduced to Taiwan during Daoguang Emperor's reign in the Qing era. Also called ""dining halls"", zhaitang served as a fixed place for followers of zhaijiao to perform ceremonies and hold gatherings. Because zhaijiao was a folk religion strictly forbidden by the Qing government, most zhaitang look no different than regular houses. The Xide Hall we see today is a two-story, three-bay-wide, wooden, single structure built in the 10th year of the Taishō era (Japanese colonial period; 1921 CE). The main worship space of Xide Hall is on the second floor, where there is a wooden screen separating the main hall dedicated to the Three Great Emperor-Officials and the inner hall, which is the most sacred space in zhaijiao.
There is a wooden screen inside the right second room. The sacrificial space in front of the wooden screen is called the Seventh Ancestor Hall, which enshrines the statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and the memory of the believers.
The canopy on the second floor is a shed roof
There are octagonal doors on the left and right sides of the Ming room on the second floor leading to the second room
On the second floor, the Mingjian wooden partition wall is painted with dragons and tigers. The postures of the dragons and tigers are vivid and vivid
The Mingjian on the second floor is the Sanbao Hall, dedicated to the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha
The door in the Ming room on the first floor is painted red
Xidetang was originally named "Xizhu Temple", and the middle door couplet of the Sanbao Hall, the upper couplet was headed by "Xizhu"
The courtyard gate of Xidetang is located between two neighboring houses
Xide Hall is located in the concrete jungle, the courtyard gate and courtyard wall define a wide inner space