Bangka Qingshui Temple 艋舺清水嚴 (also known as Zushi Temple 祖師廟) is a religious center of the area, dedicated to the deity Master Qingshui, dating back to the Qing Dynasty. The temple is said to be one of the best examples of Qing Dynasty temple architecture in Taiwan. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Taipei.
Historical Background: Bangka Qingshui Temple was established in 1787 and completed in 1790 during the Qing Dynasty. Master Qingshui was a Buddhist Monk born in 1047 from the Northern Song Dynasty who is honored for saving a town during a drought as well as other miraculous deeds. Currently there are numerous temples dedicated Qingshui throughout Asia. Besides Qingshui, the temple also enshrines deities such as Mazu, Guan Sheng Dijun, Wenchang Dijun, Ksitigarbha, Confucius, Kuixing Xingjun, and Fude Zhengshen. Mengjia Qingshui Temple is a national monument in the Republic of China and is considered one of the three most important temples in Taipei, along with Mengjia Longshan Temple and Dalongdong Baoan Temple. Early settlements around the Taipei Basin were primarily developed by immigrants from Anxi, China, for whom Qingshui Ancestor serves as the guardian deity. This led to the establishment of numerous ancestral temples in the Greater Taipei area including Sanxia Qingshui Temple, Tamsui Qingshui Temple, and Ruifang Qingshui. They raised 30,000 silver coins to build a temple with the incense of Qingshui brought from Qingshui Temple in Anxi, Quanzhou. Several temples in the surrounding area were established from the incense transferred from Mengjia Qingshui Temple. In 1817, a typhoon damaged the temple, prompting local residents to raise 5,000 silver coins for repairs. In 1853, a brawl took place known as the "Ding-Xia Feud" between early Quanzhou immigrants and Xiamen immigrants, over the rights to sell near the temple, leading to the partial destruction of the temple. 25,000 silver coins were raised for reconstruction, which was completed in 1867. The original three-hall layout of the temple was reduced to the front hall and main hall. During the Sino-French War, the temple was believed to have helped repel French forces. In the early Japanese colonial period, the temple served as an affiliated school of the Governor-General's National Language School. The rear hall was destroyed by fire in 1940 and has not been rebuilt. In 1985, construction of a parking lot unearthed buried stone materials from the rear hall. Restoration plans began in 1997 and the main and front halls have since been restored. The temple was featured in the 2010 Taiwanese film "Monga," with many scenes shot within the temple premises. Price: Free Hours: 7 AM to 5 PM Tours: You can book a 2-hr Raohe Night Market Walking Private Tour with a Tour Guide, or Taipei at Night: Din Tai Fung Dinner & Raohe Street Night Market Guided Tour on KKday here, or Klook here . Where to stay: High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Nangang Marriott (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. How to get there: By MRT: Take the MRT green line to Ximen Station or Longshan Temple Station. The temple is about a ten minute walk to the east. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. By Car: If you travel there by car, there is very limited paid parking nearby. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Scooter: There is limited paid scooter parking nearby. Do not park on areas with a red line; this place is a hot spot for parking tickets, so beware. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. Map: Our Journey: I have been to Banka Taipei Qingshui Temple once, and it was a great experience. You can tell it is an important place for locals not just because of the worshippers but also because of the many busy restaurants nearby. However I was sad to see that some of the temple was under construction due to a recent activity, so the front of the temple was covered. 
Side view of the temple which lets you see what it is supposed to look like without all the tents in the way.
There was a line of people three buildings long for a certain braised goods shop here called Yijiazi Restaraunt (一甲子餐飲).
Another view of the temple from the side.
Entrance of the temple pointing toward the main road.
History of the temple carved in stone.
A truck and tents blocking the view of the temple.
Another more unobstructed view of the temple.
There are tons of food stalls and restaurants all around the temple. You can tell why the Fujianese immigrants fought a turf war here all those years ago.
Main shrine of the temple.
View of the intricate décor of the temple dating back to the Qing Dynasty.
The main shrine and gods of the temple. Even though Qingshui is the main god, other gods are worshipped here too such as Mazu.
View of the roof decorations making two swallow tails on either side to signify returning home.
The main incense pot.
Another view of the beautiful designs from the Qing Dynasty.
Guardians painted on the doors.
More of the roof ornaments.
Another view from the front entrance.
Main shrine.
History of the temple.
Historical photo of the temple before the outer courtyard was rebuilt.
Ghost money furnace.
There are also a lot of cool buildings around such as this old hospital.
A wider shot of the hospital.
More restaurants surround the temple from looking at the street.
Big sign on the Beef Noodle Shop.
More old buildings around the back.
Popular drink stand.
More old and abandoned buildings.
I wonder why there are doors on the second floor here?
Destroyed bathroom?
At the end of the street is this really incredible tree house.
Trees cover three rows of houses here, that are obviously abandoned.
View of the second floor of the house.
Tree roots growing along the wall.
Broken window.
Another view of the tree house.
Old wall of the temple.
More old houses.
Newly refurbished part of the temple.
Backside of the temple.
View looking at the Presidential Building.
Another abandoned tower in Ximending.
You can book a 2-hr Raohe Night Market Walking Private Tour with a Tour Guide, or Taipei at Night: Din Tai Fung Dinner & Raohe Street Night Market Guided Tour on KKday here, or Klook here . Check out our full guide to Nangang here. Also be sure to check out our guide to Taipei here. You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
|
RSS Feed
