Wu Feng Temple

Wu Feng Temple

Wu Feng temple, also known as Wu Gong temple, also known as the loyal King Temple in Alishan, is located in Shekou village, Zhongpu Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan. Back to the Dakeng mountain, facing the eight streams, surrounded by towering coconut trees, ancient banyan green, shady trees, elegant and pleasant. When you come to Wufeng temple, you can see the three column swallow tail shaped Chu red arch with gorgeous colors, and the short scarlet walls around the temple are elegant and simple. From Jiayi interchange road to Jiayi urban area, follow Minzu road and Wufeng South Road to connect with provincial road No.18, about 11km to Alishan. On the left side of the road, you can see the vermilion low wall, which is Wufeng Chengren land. Continue along provincial road No.18 for about 1km, you can successively go to Chinese folk village and Wufeng temple.

Introduction to geography

The famous Wufeng temple has been listed as a national third-class historic site. It worships Wu Feng, the Fufan Tongshi of Mt. Ali, who was made by Shashen. The archway at the entrance of the temple is a swallow tailed red arch with the inscription of "loyal King Temple of Mt. Ali" on it, which is solemn and solemn.

Historical legend

Wu Feng (1699-1769) was born in Pinghe County, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province. During the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, she moved with her parents to Zhuluo county (now Jiayi county), Zhuqi Township, Taiwan Province. When he was young, he studied hard and understood the meaning of the matter. When he grew up, he saw his Gaoshan compatriots living a primitive life of slash and burn farming. He was determined to teach them more advanced farming techniques and help them master basic medical knowledge. He is respected by the people. In 1722, when Wu Feng was 24 years old, the Qing government appointed him as the general secretary of Zhongpu Township in Alishan, responsible for coordinating the relationship between the indigenous people and the Han people.

At that time, the Gaoshan people had a bad habit of sacrificing their heads (i.e. "hunting heads"), and every year in order to celebrate the appearance of new grains, they had to take a stranger's head to sacrifice to the God, believing that only in this way can they obtain God's blessing and harvest of grains. In 1726 (the fourth year of Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty), the local Gaoshan people wanted to "hunt the head". After hearing the news, Wu Feng rushed to dissuade them. They couldn't figure it out for a moment. Wu Feng had an idea and asked, "don't you have any skeletons left after you've hunted?" They said, "yes, there are 40 more." Wu Feng said: "well, you can sacrifice the remaining skeletons one year. You can't kill people any more. It's an act of injustice to kill one's compatriots for one's own benefit! " After listening to this, we all think it makes sense. In a flash, 40 years have passed and the skeletons in stock have been used up. What should we do next?

In 1767, the local people of Gaoshan Nationality asked Wu Feng to go out to hunt the head. Wu Feng stroked her beard and said calmly, "it's not good this year. Kill a cow first. Let's talk about it next year." The crowd was persuaded to go back. The next year (1768), he tried the same way to persuade the masses to go back. In the third year (1769), the local Gaoshan compatriots quit and forced Wu Feng to agree to go hunting. Wu Feng knew that further persuasion would not help, so she said to them, "OK! Tomorrow morning, there will be a man in red in the village. You can kill him and cut off his head to sacrifice to God. But if you keep this bad custom, the gods will be angry and punish you. " The next morning, there was a man in red clothes and a red hat on the high ground in the middle of the village. When the crowd saw him, they shot him to death with arrows. After that, they all rushed to cut the man's head. However, when I came closer, I was stunned. No one thought that the man who was shot to death was Wu fenggong, whom everyone loved and respected! People were so sad that they invited the leaders of 48 villages near Alishan to hold a meeting and decided to abolish the bad habit of "head hunting" and summon their descendants to Leishi in various communities. They were more moved by Wu Feng's spirit of righteousness and martyrdom, and decided to set up a temple to offer sacrifices. In 1820, Wu Feng temple was built for ever. After three times of expansion and renovation, the magnificent style of Wufeng temple was established.

Wu Feng is a well-known local general (translator between Han and Zou people). He became friends with the head of Zou people in his work. He felt that the custom of Zou people's beheading gods was not good, so he went to discuss with Zou people whether it could be replaced by slaughtering pigs, cattle, sheep and other livestock. The head of Zou people refused, saying that this was a rule set by the ancestors and could not be changed. Later, he came up with a way: find a Han prisoner who has committed a capital crime and send him to touchou on Zou people's memorial day to kill him. The Zou people agreed. One year, the day before the memorial day was coming, Wu Feng suddenly found the head of the Zou people and said that there was no one for you to behead this year. But tomorrow morning, a man wearing a red robe and riding a white horse will come to touchou. You can behead him to sacrifice to the gods. The next day, when the Zou people came down the mountain with their swords, they met a man in red and riding on a white horse. They could not help but say that they would chop with their swords. After the event, the Zou people were shocked: it turned out that this man was the friend of the Zou leader, Duke Wu himself! The Zou people were so regretful that they finally made up their mind to change the rules set by their ancestors. After that, they no longer killed people to sacrifice to gods. Later generations revered Wu Gong who exchanged his life for ethnic harmony, so they set up a temple to offer sacrifices to him.

Traffic tips

From Jiayi interchange road to Jiayi urban area, follow Minzu road and Wufeng South Road to connect with provincial road No.18, about 11km to Alishan. On the left side of the road, you can see the vermilion low wall, which is Wufeng chengrendi. Continue along provincial road No.18 for about 1km, you can successively reach Zhonghua folk village and Wufeng temple. It is about 19 km from the interchange.

Address: No.1-3, Shekou village, Zhongpu Township, Jiayi County, Taiwan

Longitude: 120.5413073

Latitude: 23.44602016

Tel. + 886-5-2531432