Wanggong Fuhai Temple ( zh, t=王功福海宮, p=Wánggōng Fúhǎi Gōng) is a temple located in Wanggong, Fangyuan Township,

Changhua County Changhua (Wade-Giles: ''Chang¹-hua⁴'') is a Taiwanese County (Taiwan), county that is the smallest on the Geography of Taiwan, main island of Taiwan by area, and the fourth smallest in the country. With a total population of 1.24 million, Chan ...

, Taiwan. The temple is dedicated to the sea goddess

Mazu Mazu or Matsu is a sea goddess in Chinese folk religion, Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. She is also known by several other names and titles. Mazu is the deified form of Lin Moniang (), a shamaness from Fujian who is said to ...

History

Like most coastal villages, Wanggong had a small temple dedicated to Mazu to pray for the protection of its fishermen. In 1812, , a

Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

official serving as the Changhua County

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...

, visited Changhua County's coast. When Yang reached Wanggong, he noticed that Wanggong sits in a place with good

feng shui Feng shui ( or ), sometimes called Chinese geomancy, is a traditional form of geomancy that originated in ancient China and claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. The term ''feng shui'' mean ...

and called for a larger Mazu temple to be built, hence the origin of Fuhai Temple. When Yang was returning to mainland China, only the main hall of Fuhai Temple was completed; Yang instructed that any further construction must be overseen by another government official. In honor of Yang, Fuhai Temple was left untouched, and fell into disrepair. In 1958, Wanggong residents petitioned for Changhua County's governor to refurbish the temple, which he agreed and attended the

groundbreaking ceremony Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod, turf-cutting, or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such cer ...

. According to legend, immediately after the ceremony, Wanggong's

milkfish The milkfish (''Chanos chanos'') is a widespread species of ray-finned fish found throughout the Indo-Pacific. It is the sole living species in the family Chanidae, and the only living member of the genus ''Chanos''. The repeating scientific na ...

production unexpectedly surged. The villagers believed that Mazu had blessed the town and donated money into Fuhai Temple's reconstruction, and the project was completed in a year.

Architecture

Fuhai Temple is divided into a main hall and a rear hall. Mazu is seated in the main hall accompanied by her guardians

Qianliyan Qianliyan is a Chinese folk religion, Chinese sea god, sea and door god. He usually appears with Shunfeng'er as a guardian of the list of Mazu temples, temples of the sea goddess Mazu (goddess), Mazu. Name The name "Qianliyan" literally means ...

and

Shunfeng'er Shunfeng'er is a Chinese folk religion, Chinese sea god, sea and door god. He usually appears with Qianliyan as a guardian of the list of Mazu temples, temples of the sea goddess Mazu (goddess), Mazu. Name The name "Shunfeng'er" literally means ...

. The rear hall is three-stories tall that includes altars for

Guanyin Guanyin () is a common Chinese name of the bodhisattva associated with Karuṇā, compassion known as Avalokiteśvara (). Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means " he One WhoPerceives the Sounds of the World". Originally regarded as m ...

, the

Eighteen Arhats The Eighteen Arhats (or Eighteen Luohans) () are depicted in Chinese Buddhism as the original followers of Gautama Buddha ('' arhat'') who have followed the Noble Eightfold Path and attained the four stages of enlightenment. They have reached the ...

, and the

Jade Emperor In the Chinese mythology, myths and Chinese folk religion, folk religion of Chinese culture, the Jade Emperor or Yudi is one of the representations of the Primordial Divinity (Tai Di), primordial god. In Taoist theology, he is the assistant of ...

, as well as lodging for visiting pilgrims.

Traditions

Fuhai Temple's celebrates the annual Wanggong Fireworks Festival (王功漁火節), which is the biggest event of the year in Wanggong. The festival's dates are determined by Mazu through poe divination in the temple, and the temple grounds is one of the host sites for various events throughout the festival.

References

{{reflist 1812 establishments in Taiwan Religious buildings and structures completed in 1812 Mazu temples in Changhua County