# Yuanshan Temple

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**Yuanshan Temple** () is a temple in [Lucao Township](/source/Lucao,_Chiayi), [Chiayi County](/source/Chiayi_County), Taiwan. The temple is dedicated to Wangsun Dashi, a legendary child from the [Song dynasty](/source/Song_dynasty).

## History

According to legend, Wangsun Dashi () was a child named Xie Shengxian () that lived during the Song dynasty. When he was thirteen years old, Xie traveled [Tong'an](/source/Tong'an_District), [Fujian](/source/Fujian_Province) with his dog and lived in the home of a government official with the surname Chen. One day, the official's daughter was possessed by a [river snail](/source/River_snail) *[yaoguai](/source/Yaoguai)*, so Xie sacrificed himself by jumping into a lake next to Feng Mountain (鳳山). Therefore, the Chen clan deified Xie as Wangsun Dashi and built a temple for him next to the mountain.[1]

The Chen clan migrated across the [Taiwan Strait](/source/Taiwan_Strait) in the [Qing dynasty](/source/Qing_dynasty), and brought Wangsun Dashi with them as their protector deity. The clan founded Yuanshan Temple in 1738[2] or 1752[1] to worship Wangsun Dashi in Lucao, and the temple became the religious center of the region. The temple has been rebuilt multiple times, the most recently completed in 1976.[1][2]

## Architecture

Yuanshan Temple is located in downtown Lucao and faces east. The main altar houses Wangsun Dashi, while the side altars house [Fude Zhengshen](/source/Fude_Zhengshen) and Wangsun Dashi's dog. The temple columns are carved with [antithetical couplets](/source/Antithetical_couplet), and each line begins with the characters *yuan* and *shan*, respectively, except for the columns beside the side altars.[1][3] Wangsun Dashi's statue is carved with dimples to resemble a boy.[4]

## Traditions

### *Geshuihuo*

Every twelve years, Yuanshan Temple holds a ceremony known as *geshuihuo* (割水火) on the banks of the [Puzi River](/source/Puzi_River) to symbolically call on wandering spirits to change their ways and assemble into an army under Wangsun Dashi. During the ceremony, a temporary altar is placed on a sand bar, and a flag is placed next to the river. Twelve days later, a procession carries weapons and crosses the river to retrieve the altar and the flag, marking the end of the ceremony.[5]

### *Fanghuoma*

Historically, Yuanshan Temple has held a ritual known as *fanghuoma* (放火馬), where paper horses are paraded around and burned, to protect citizens from disease. However, this ritual was not held for roughly 60 years until February 2021, where it was revived for the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Taiwan).[6]

## See also

- [Fengtian Temple](/source/Fengtian_Temple), Xingang Township
- [Gangkou Temple](/source/Gangkou_Temple), Dongshi Township
- [Peitian Temple](/source/Peitian_Temple), Puzi City
- [List of temples in Taiwan](/source/List_of_temples_in_Taiwan)

## References

1. [*嘉義縣志．卷十．文學志*](https://www.tbocc.gov.tw/ModuleMsg/News_Detail.aspx?id=751&page=1&&SearchPagSize_Data=20&SearchDisplay=close&SelectData_KeyWord=65&NewsClassID=61&lang=tw) (in zh-tw). Taibao, Chiayi County: 嘉義縣政府. December 2009. pp. 124–125. ISBN 9789860208108. Retrieved November 16, 2021.

1. [*嘉義縣志．卷九．宗教志*](https://www.tbocc.gov.tw/ModuleMsg/News_Detail.aspx?id=1927&page=2&&SearchPagSize_Data=20&SearchDisplay=close&SelectData_KeyWord=64&NewsClassID=61&lang=tw) (in zh-tw). Taibao, Chiayi County: 嘉義縣政府. December 2009. pp. 326–327. ISBN 9789860208092. Retrieved November 16, 2021.

1. ["圓山宮"](http://crgis.rchss.sinica.edu.tw/temples/ChiayiCounty/lutsau/1011004-YSG) (in zh-tw). *Cultural Resources Geographic Information System*. Academia Sinica. Retrieved November 16, 2021.

1. ["鹿草圓山宮謝府元帥 宋代敕封王孫大使"](https://bobee.nownews.com/20190624-29970) (in zh-tw). *Now News*. June 24, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2021.

1. 吳世聰 (October 8, 2012). ["罕見「割水火」 12年1次招兵買馬"](https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/local/paper/620935) (in zh-tw). *Liberty Times*. Retrieved November 16, 2021.

1. 林宜樟 (February 26, 2021). ["暌違近60年！嘉義鹿草圓山宮 放火馬震撼登場"](https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/breakingnews/3450815) (in zh-tw). *Liberty Times*. Retrieved November 16, 2021.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Yuanshan Temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuanshan_Temple) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuanshan_Temple?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.