Coordinates: 24°33′53″N 120°49′36″E / 24.5647°N 120.8266°E / 24.5647; 120.8266

Yuqing Temple

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Yuqing Temple
玉清宮
Religion
AffiliationTaoism
DeityGuan Yu
Location
LocationMiaoli City, Miaoli County
CountryTaiwan
Geographic coordinates24°33′53″N 120°49′36″E / 24.5647°N 120.8266°E / 24.5647; 120.8266
Architecture
Completed1906
Direction of façadeSouth
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Miaoli Yuqing Temple (Chinese: 苗栗玉清宮; pinyin: Miáolì Yùqīng Gōng) is a temple located in Miaoli City, Miaoli County, Taiwan. The temple is dedicated to Lord Guan or Guansheng Dijun (關聖帝君), the deified form of Guan Yu.

History

The temple was established in 1906 by Hu Atong (胡阿統), though the building's construction was not completed until 1917. The temple was also known by many other names, including Guanyin Temple (觀音宮) and Potangxia Yuqing Temple (坡塘下玉清宮). The temple was heavily damaged by the 1935 Shinchiku-Taichū earthquake, but was crudely repaired. In 1965, local politician Tang Qingsong (湯慶松) called for the temple's renovation, and the original building was replaced by a reinforced concrete structure in 1967. Other buildings were also constructed on the temple's premises, including a senior citizens' center in 1976, a park in 1986, and a paifang in 1996.[1][2]

Structure

The main hall of Yuqing Temple is dedicated to Lord Guan or Guansheng Dijun (關聖帝君), whose statue is accompanied by Fuyou Dijun (孚佑帝君) and the Siming Zhenjun (司命真君). Altars to other deities are located on the sides and on the second floor. Yuqing Temple also has a public park located next to the front courtyard, which is designed with Chinese garden architecture and features a large statue of Lord Guan on his horse overlooking the courtyard.[1]

Traditions

Every year during Lantern Festival, Yuqing Temple holds a festival known as "Dragon Bombing" (Chinese: 𪹚龍; pinyin: Bànglóng), which is common among Hakka communities. The ceremony involves dragon dances where each dragon's eyes are painted with a mixture of chicken blood, rice wine, and cinnabar. During the ceremony, the dragons form a gate for worshippers to walk through, which is said to bring good fortune.[3][4]

Yuqing Temple is the first temple in Miaoli County to not burn joss paper. The temple stopped the practice in 1999 to reduce its environmental impact, and the furnace outside the temple is covered up. The temple does continue to burn incense.[5]

Gallery

  • Guan Yu statue in Yuqing Park
    Lord Guan statue in Yuqing Park
  • Paifang
    Paifang

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yuqing Temple.
  1. ^ a b "苗栗景點介紹 玉清宮". 苗栗市觀光旅行資訊網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 苗栗市公所. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  2. ^ 葉蒼秀 (30 March 2015). "玉清宮 苗栗人精神堡壘" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). China Daily News. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  3. ^ 彭健禮 (13 February 2019). "苗栗火旁龍點睛 祥龍天降庇鄉里" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Liberty Times. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Miaoli kicks off Lantern Festival with Hakka dragon dance". 15 February 2019. Hakka Affairs Council. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  5. ^ 巫靜婷 (15 September 2020). "帶頭減香、封爐20年 苗栗市玉清宮：心誠則靈" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). China Times. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
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