Checheng Fu'an Temple
Main Deities
About
Place a sheet of gold paper at the mouth of the furnace and it is drawn in, sheet after sheet, all on its own — the 'divine cash-counting machine' furnace at Fu'an Temple in Checheng, Pingtung, whose precisely engineered convection leaves worshippers marveling. Checheng Fu'an Temple is the largest Earth God (Tudi Gong) temple in Taiwan and the spiritual center of the Hengchun Peninsula, its incense fires never dimming. The main deity, Fude Zhengshen, wears a dragon robe and an official's cap — nothing like the humble Earth God figures seen elsewhere — a sign of the exalted rank conferred on him by an emperor. Built in the grand palace style of northern China, it is the finest place to stop on the drive south toward Kenting.
History
In the Guangxu era — around the 1880s — the early settlers of Checheng pooled their funds to build this temple to Fude Zhengshen. Its grandeur set it apart from the small, modest Earth God shrines found elsewhere: legend holds that the Qing governor Liu Mingchuan, touring the south, was so struck by the temple's imposing air that he conferred upon it the name 'Fu'an Temple.' After the war it was expanded several times, its main hall rising lofty and resplendent in gold. Fu'an Temple's best-known tradition is the 'race for the first incense': in the countdown from New Year's Eve to the first day of the lunar year, worshippers surge forward to plant the very first incense stick — an electric, jostling scene. And with Kenting National Park close at hand, the temple has become a favorite waypoint for travelers heading south to pray for blessings.
Checheng Fu'an Temple
Checheng Township, Pingtung County
Visitor Info
Address
No. 51, Fu'an Rd, Checheng Township, Pingtung County
Region
Checheng Township, Pingtung County