踏溯台南

踏溯台南

文學院 通識教育課程

Kyrie: Pestilence and faith in the salty area

Route Introduction



Nankunshen Temple - Daitianfu

 

   Built in 1662, the temple was moved to its current location in 1817, completed in five years, and has been ever-expanding since 1923. The temp, dedicated to five Royal Lords—Li, Chi, Wu, Zhu, and Fan—or the so-called “Wufu Chiensui,” is known as the General Temple of Taiwan's Wang Ye (i.e. Royal Lords). During Ming and Qing dynasties, Taiwan was considered full of miasmas and epidemics for the Han people who crossed the sea, so the people were very religious to the deities, who could help drive away the plagues and punish on behalf of Heaven. The classification of religion in the Ming and Qing dynasties, unlike the official belief of “zheng shi” (official worshipping), Wufu Chiensui belief belongs to “yin shi” (local worshipping), which belongs to the local system of common people's everyday life, because it closely caters to the needs of life. It is prosperous and popular with worshippers, and the "national luck omen" drawn by the temple every lunar new year attracts a lot of attention.

   Due to the early construction of the temple and the support of civil communities, Daitianfu has rather high cultural values in assets like architecture, wood carvings, plaques, etc., and has been registered as a national historic site. The legends, stories, and worshipping ceremonies accompanying Wufu Chiensui and Daitianfu are distinctive and the worshipping ceremony of the “Wufu Chiensui pilgrimage” has also been listed as an important national folk custom.