Taiwan Religious Culture Map

Guanyin Hall is the most unique building in the Nanyao Temple complex. Foreign influence can be seen in its structure, workmanship, and design. The hall combines Japanese and Greek Baroque influences with traditional Taiwanese temple elements. It has a hip-and-gable roof with double eaves (a second roof raised on top of a sloping roof, symbolizing respect); three dormer windows projecting from the roof; a wrap-around balcony with balustrade under the eaves; a straight roof ridge; and a black, Japanese-style façade. It also has woodcarvings in a pattern of chrysanthemums, another sign of Japanese influence. Western architecture greatly influenced the design of the hall, as the balustrade was constructed in the style of a Western parapet wall and the design of the colonnade was based on Greek Doric columns. The interior of the hall has a copper ceiling, a carving of the Eighteen Arhats in a Western-style frame, and Japanese shrines. This fusion of decorative elements is not found in any other temple. The idea of creating a harmonious mixture of Chinese, Western, and Japanese architectural styles became popular around 1920, and is one of Nanyao Temple’s most charming characteristics. In most temples, the main hall is the biggest hall. However, Nanyao Temple’s Guanyin Hall is larger than its main hall. This is because it was originally designed to be the main hall, but its unusual appearance did not conform to conservative folk customs. As a result, a new main hall was built in front of Guanyin Hall.

Guanyin Hall has large mirrors in Western-style frames created in pottery on its right and left walls. No other temple in Taiwan has decoration of this type. Locals say that craftsmen installed the mirrors during construction of the hall, but the reason they did so and the purpose of the mirrors cannot be verified. The frames have medallions in the form of Japanese-style chrysanthemums. This type of frame is only found at the Guanyin Hall of Nanyao Temple.

Guanyin Hall has a coffered ceiling—a flat ceiling with a chessboard-like pattern. This type of ceiling is called “píngqí” in the Yingzao Fashi, a technical treatise on architecture and craftsmanship written during the Song Dynasty. It was very fashionable during the period of Japanese rule. Longshan Temple and Hsinchu City God Temple also have coffered ceilings.

The Sanchuan Hall was built after the completion of the main Hall. Master Wang Shu-fa was commissioned to design the hall. Craftsmen of the Quanzhou Xidi school were skilled in large-scale woodwork and caisson ceilings. Smaller-scale woodwork was commissioned to Yang Xiu-xing, a woodcarver from Quanzhou, along with woodcarvers from Tianzhong, a nearby village. The hall features two sets of design  (duìchǎngzuò) in which different masters cooperated to design the opposite sides of the building. Although the two sides are complementary, each has its own style. The carvings include characters from folk tales, and are extremely lifelike. Yang’s works can also be found at other famous temples such as Taipei’s Longshan Temple.

Nanyao Temple’s halls have three pairs of exquisite, Japanese-style dragon columns located in front of the Sanchuan Hall, the main hall, and Guanyin Hall. The inscription on the pair in front of the Sanchuan Hall states that members of a Mazu association donated them in 1930. The octagonal columns were carved from bluestone. A single dragon encircles each column and holds a pearl in its four claws. The columns are also decorated with characters from the 16^th century Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods.