Built in the 6th year of Yongzheng Emperor's reign in the Qing era (1728 CE), Qingshui Temple was originally just a straw hut converted from a workers' dormitory. In the 10th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1745 CE), the temple was dedicated to Gautama Buddha and the Buddhist bodhisattva Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara) of the Southern Sea. It then saw a steady stream of worshipers, who raised funds to upgrade it to a bamboo temple. Later, in the 23rd year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1758 CE), the monk Jue-tong from Quanzhou and the local gentry once again renovated it, making it into a proper temple. Qingshui Temple was moved to many locations before being built at its current location during the reign of Emperor Jiaqing. It has been the main center of faith for people in the Mt. Bagua region since the reign of Yongzheng Emperor and came to be known as one of the ""three great mountain temples"" along with Hushan Temple and Bishan Temple. The temple gained a reputation of having ""clear water and gorgeous scenery"" for the natural springs and beautiful landscape in the area, and was even named one of the ""eight sights of Changhua"". Moreover, the temple houses many poems written by literati and poets of the time, as well as plaques inscribed by high-ranking officials, endowing it with great literary value.
Although the temple body of Kiyomizu Rock Temple is not like other traditional temples, the main hall roof of the temple body is a dovetail spine, with flying dragons and phoenixes cut and glued. It is very meticulous, and it is a rare traditional wooden structure in existence.
This is the Ganluquan Archway. The three famous springs in Taiwan during the Japanese era (Yangmingshan Longevity Spring, Qingshuiyan Ganlu Spring, and Zhiben Beauty Spring), the temple’s water diversion and wells were set up for the believers to use
The various Qing Dynasty couplets hanging in the main hall, the earliest pair dates back to the 5th year of Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty (1800 AD).
In the 10th year of Guangxu, Qing Dynasty (1884), the plaque "Clear Water Spring Light" was erected by the abbot Yubiao Zen Master (years of birth and death unknown) after completion and restoration
In the 33rd year of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1768), the plaque "Nanhai Cihang", the inscription is a common folk term to describe the compassion of the Nanhai Guanyin Bodhisattva
From the hands of the Zhangzhou Pai Damu master, the traditional wooden structure with two connections and three melons was made
A plaque given by the official with a red background, "Shuanglong on Qingshuiyan holding beads and fire-shaped pictures"
In the 9th year of the Taisho era (1920), the stone monument "Rebuilt the Kiyomizu Rock Temple Stele" was erected. It explains the beginning and end of the temple and the name and amount of the donation, which will be remembered forever.
In the 9th year of the Taisho era (1920), the stone stele "Dripping Water and Clear Heart" was erected at Kiyomizu Rock Temple, which explains the allusion of building wells and canals to draw mountain springs. It is clearly stated that the temple and the Longquan Temple share the water source.