Taiwan Religious Culture Map

Located on the eastern foothills of Mt. Bagua, facing the Maoluo River and 99 Peaks, Fenyuan's Baozang Temple is a magnificent structure with sweeping views. During the early Qing era, central Taiwan was known for its 'three mountain shrines and two temples', which refers to Baozang Temple in Fenyuan, Longshan Temple in Lukang, Hushan Shrine in Huatan, Qingshui Temple in Shetou, and Bishan Temple in Nantou. This shows what an important religious center Baozang Temple was. According to the Records of Changhua County, Baozang Temple was built in the 50th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing era (1785 CE). The temple underwent multiple renovations throughout the Qing era and the Japanese colonial period, which shaped today's appearance. The temple is notable for enshrining a statue of Matzu given by the Tianhou Temple in Lukang in the 12th year of Tongzhi Emperor's reign in the Qing era (1873 CE), as well as the spirit tablets of those who lost their lives in a violent conflict between Zhangzhou and Quanzhou immigrants in the 3rd year of Xianfeng Emperor's reign (1853 CE). The temple also houses many ancient artifacts, including a plaque reading ""number one in the precious mountain""—which dates back to Emperor Jiaqing's reign in the Qing era—and a camphor offering table dating back to Daoguang Emperor's reign. These artifacts highlight how important the Baozang Temple was in the Maoluo Mountain area. Today, Baozang Temple acts as a cultural education venue, and together with the nearby Tri-mountain National Scenic Area, has made the area a popular tourist site.