Chiayi Renwu Temple

A thriving city-designated historical site. During the Ming Yongli period, Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) established Taiwan as his base, determined to overthrow the Qing dynasty. At this time, ancestors from Zhangzhou and Quanzhou on the mainland migrated in large numbers to Taiwan for cultivation. People from Tongan County, Quanzhou Prefecture, brought along statues of Baosheng Dadi (Emperor Baosheng) for worship, praying for his blessing. In the 27th year of Yongli (1673 AD), during Zheng Jing's western expedition, the Renwu Garrison troops, originally farming in the Fengshan area (now Renwu District, Kaohsiung City), were transferred to garrison the Zhuluo area (now Chiayi City). Among them, officers and soldiers from Quanzhou also brought the statue of Baosheng Dadi to Zhuluo to serve as the patron deity for both military personnel and civilians. In the 31st year of Yongli (1677), the officers and soldiers built a small shrine to worship him, marking the early beginnings of Renwu Temple. By the 40th year of Kangxi (1701) in the Qing dynasty, Zhuluo magistrate Mao Fenglun advocated the construction of a temple. To commemorate that the principal deity was originally brought and worshipped by the Renwu Garrison soldiers, the temple was named Renwu Temple, making it the oldest temple in the Chiayi area dedicated to Baosheng Dadi. After its establishment, Renwu Temple underwent multiple renovations and expansions during the Yongzheng, Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Xianfeng periods. In the 13th year of Showa (1938), Mayor Kawatama Shuhei (birth and death years unknown), to promote the Kominka (Japanization) policy, ordered the demolition of temples and removal of deities from all 63 temples in the city. All temple properties were confiscated and became Japanese possessions. The statue of Baosheng Dadi from Renwu Temple was moved to the City God Temple, and the temple's property was occupied by a Japanese man named Ban Hachiro, who opened the Nanhe Trading Company. This destruction resulted in the complete damage of a large number of cultural relics within Renwu Temple, representing a significant loss for the preservation of historical artifacts. In the 34th year of the Republic (1945), after the end of World War II, Chiayi gentry pooled funds to repurchase the ownership of Renwu Temple and rebuilt it. On the first day of the first lunar month in the 36th year of the Republic (1947), Baosheng Dadi was respectfully welcomed back to the temple for re-enshrinement, allowing Renwu Temple to resume its religious services. In the 50th year of the Republic (1961), another renovation took place. The front hall's temple walls and roof were rebuilt, and a four-pillar pavilion, left and right corridors, and the worship hall were newly constructed with concrete pillars. The main beams and pillars in the main hall were a mix of original wooden pillars connected to concrete pillars. Renwu Temple boasts a magnificent presence with intricately carved beams and painted pillars. Its roof features colorful glazed tiles and jiannian (cut-and-paste porcelain shard art) depicting flowers, birds, and figures, all appearing remarkably lifelike. Today, the entire structure of Renwu Temple is made of camphor wood, possessing significant preservation value. The civil and military door gods were painted by Master Pan Lishui, showcasing great artistic merit. Despite numerous renovations, the temple's original appearance has been preserved. The paintings, stone carvings, wood carvings, clay sculptures, and ridge decorations are quite exquisite. With dragons coiling and tigers crouching, and intricately carved beams and painted pillars, it presents a magnificent and imposing presence. Inside Renwu Temple, there is a stone incense burner from the 30th year of Daoguang. It originally housed the statue of Dadao Gong. Due to the reported efficacy of the temple's medicinal fortune sticks, many people come to seek them. According to the temple, a large number of devotees claim to be 'godsons' of Baosheng Dadi, a folk custom seeking divine healing and protection.