Taiwan Religious Culture Map

Cide Temple is located on the banks of Rong Lake in Houputou, Jinsha Township. It was built in the 2nd year of Emperor Guangxu's reign in the Qing era (1876 CE) with funds raised by local scholar Huang Cho-ko (dates of birth and death unknown) in Southeast Asia. Cide Temple is dedicated to Ming-era scholar Huang Wei (Huang I-sou; 1488-1538 CE). Huang Wei and Hsu Hsieh (Hsu Chung-tou, 1570-1606 CE) are the subjects of many folk legends in Kinmen. The two most famous figures in Kinmen during the Ming era, the pair are mentioned in the popular saying ""the writings of Hsu Chung-tou and moral character of Huang I-sou"". Hailed as a paragon of morality, Huang Wei was compassionate and virtuous all his life. As a result, the temple dedicated to him was called ""Cide Temple"" (literally ""temple of compassion and virtue""). It has been over a century since Cide Temple was built in the Qing era. Throughout the years, the temple's architecture has gone through four phases: construction, repairs, renovations, and additions. The different materials, techniques, and ornamentation used in the temple are a testament to these different phases, not only showcasing the distinctive development of architectural techniques in Kinmen but also documenting the history of how different clans in the region banded together, strengthened bonds, and forged a local identity.