Pit Park

Pit Park

In Pit Park, there is a Tianhou Temple, nestled against Huanghua Mountain and facing Pit Reservoir, set amid green waters and citrus orchards, just a 10-minute drive from the city center. This temple is dedicated to a sea goddess—Mazu. Before arriving, it’s worth noting that the scenic area was officially registered with the government in 1993. The temple complex spans 11.5 mu (approximately 1.9 acres), with a construction area of over 4,000 square meters. It includes the Tianhou Temple, Taibao Temple, Guan Di Hall, Guanyin Hall, Da’Nai Hall, Chun Pavilion, Gongde Pavilion, a theater stage, as well as recreational areas such as a root carving art exhibition hall, water rafting, and swings. It integrates Buddhist, Taoist, and folk belief cultures, presenting a diverse yet harmonious array of spiritual practices that reflect the varied religious needs of the people.

Now, let’s first visit the Sacred Wood Mazu. Before we begin, allow me to give you a brief introduction to Mazu. Mazu, originally named Lin Moniang, was from Meizhou in Putian. She was born in the first year of the Jianlong era during the Song Dynasty, which corresponds to 960 AD, on the 23rd day of the third lunar month. Because she did not cry from birth until she was one month old, she was named Moniang, meaning “silent girl.” Her mother was reportedly pregnant for 14 months before giving birth to her. It is said that Mazu was a heavenly dragon maiden who descended to earth, and that she emitted a lasting fragrance from birth. As she grew up, she displayed extraordinary abilities, able to foresee maritime disasters and appear whenever people needed her most, saving many lives at sea. At the age of 27, Lin Moniang ascended to heaven amidst colorful auspicious clouds on Meiyu Peak. Even after her ascension, she continued to protect ships at sea. Thus, Mazu gradually became a widely worshipped water goddess in folk belief, earning high honors throughout the dynasties. During the Ming Dynasty, she was conferred the title of “Heavenly Empress” (Tianfei), and in the Qing Dynasty, her status was elevated further to “Heavenly Goddess” (Tianhou). For this reason, Mazu temples are often called “Tianfei Temples” or “Tianhou Temples,” usually located near the coast. At this point, you might wonder why there are Mazu temples even in mountainous areas. This actually has something to do with the geographical location of Jian’ou. Jian’ou lies in a mountain basin where three rivers—the Songxi, Chongyangxi, and Nanpuxi—converge. In ancient times, transportation in the mountains was very difficult, so river transport in Jian’ou flourished. However, due to the V-shaped valleys and significant fluctuations in water levels, combined with the basin’s susceptibility to flooding, historical records show that over 50 floods of varying severity occurred since the Eastern Jin Dynasty, with more than 20 instances of floodwaters entering the city, causing immense damage. With limited flood control methods in ancient times, people turned to divine intervention. As is well known, Mazu is revered as the “Goddess of the Sea,” the “Savior of Sailors,” and also as a deity of flood control. Thus, it was proposed to build a Mazu temple to prevent floods, safeguard shipping, and ensure peace. As a result, Mazu temples have existed here since ancient times, with incense burning continuously through generations.

Now, we have arrived at the main hall of the Tianhou Temple. The tall and serene statue of Mazu before you was built in October 1998, modeled after the format of the Meizhou Mazu Temple. Standing 6.8 meters tall, with a diameter of about 3.3 meters and weighing approximately 10 tons, it was carved from a thousand-year-old Chinese fir tree. Look around—the hall is adorned with root carvings of waves and auspicious clouds along the sides and back, stretching over 60 meters in total. These vividly depict Mazu’s entire journey from birth to her ascension into immortality, as well as group scenes such as Zheng Chenggong’s recovery of Taiwan and Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Seas. The depictions are lively and lifelike. The layout of the black Mazu statue and the root carvings is intricate and unique, making it a rare sight not only in our province but also across the country, and has become a remarkable tourist attraction in Northern Fujian and beyond.

Legends about Mazu are widespread and well-known, but the “birth” of this Sacred Wood Mazu differs from that of other Mazu statues. The material used for the statue emerged during a mudslide caused by a sudden mountain flood, having been buried underground for a thousand years. Thus, from its discovery to its carving, the process has been shrouded in mystery. The wooden Mazu statue, from the unearthing of the giant log to the completion of the sculpture, is filled with miraculous elements, yet it is indeed a true story.

On June 22, 1998, Jian’ou experienced a once-in-two-centuries catastrophic flood. Two days prior, Chouling Village, located over 70 kilometers south of the city at the foot of Shita Mountain, was hit by an unprecedented flash flood. Around 3 PM, with thunder cracking suddenly under dark rolling clouds and torrential rain pouring down, a massive mudslide rushed down from the mountainside, instantly sweeping away half the hillside and burying hundreds of acres of farmland under a slope of red soil and rocks. A huge rock, originally standing six meters tall and covering about 60 square meters in the middle of the field, was pushed 50 meters away and buried underground; a small hill in the field was moved over a hundred meters. Just as the mudslide rapidly approached the nearby village, threatening to destroy homes and lives, a miracle occurred—a massive object blocked the mudslide head-on, saving the entire village from disaster. Later, survivors discovered that this enormous object was a thousand-year-old brownish-purple Chinese fir, resembling a woman, over seven meters long, with a girth requiring four people to encircle, eternally hard, fragrant, and emitting a crisp “dong dong” sound when tapped. Experts determined that the tree was over a thousand years old and had been buried underground for just as long.

Perhaps by fate, news of the unprecedented discovery of the Chinese fir in Chouling Village reached the city and came to the attention of several elders who were building the Tianhou Temple. By then, the temple structure had been completed in April of that year, but they had struggled to find suitable material for the statue. When they saw the log in person, they immediately realized it was perfect for crafting Mazu’s image. The log, weighing twenty to thirty tons, was safely transported to the Tianhou Temple. Upon careful measurement, its height perfectly matched the temple’s arched ceiling. Even more coincidentally, a master root carving artisan from Fuzhou happened to visit and was immediately drawn to the wood’s spiritual essence. Upon learning it was for Mazu, he offered to carve it for free. Over the course of three months of meticulous work, using the original log without any splicing, a vivid and lifelike Mazu statue emerged, causing a sensation both domestically and internationally. Thus, the mutual resonance of the “southern” and “northern” Mazus further enhances the goddess’s divine charm and radiance.

Oh, you may have noticed that the Mazu statue has no additional pedestal, although it is customary to place statues on pedestals. Since the temple was built before the statue, the height of the statue was not initially accounted for. Yet, as if by destiny, the wave-like shape at the base of the unearthed log naturally serves as the pedestal. The proportions of the statue’s head, chest, abdomen, hands, and feet are all perfectly balanced, fitting seamlessly with the architectural style and reserved space of the Tianhou Temple, making it a true “marvel under heaven.”

Friends, now we come to the Taibao Hall, which houses 99 statues of Taibao Lords, including Xiao Gong. These 99 Taibao statues were brought from the ancestral temple at Long’an Ridge in Xiaosong, Jian’ou, and are one of the principal deities in the local folk beliefs of Jian’ou, symbolizing protection and safety. Some may wonder why there are 99 Taibao here, unlike the usual single figure elsewhere. According to local legend in Jian’ou, this originates from an imperial decree by Wang Yanzheng, the Min Tiande Emperor of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. In the early Baoda era of the Southern Tang (943 AD), Wang Yanzheng declared himself emperor in Jianzhou and, in order to recruit talent, held imperial examinations, selecting 100 successful candidates—both civil and military. Xiao Zhen, known for his literary and martial prowess, ranked first. At that time, the Celestial Master Zhang was spreading Taoism in Jianzhou with great efficacy. When news of this reached the palace, the Min Tiande Emperor wanted to test the Celestial Master’s powers. He ordered a large pit to be dug under Long’an Ridge and had 100 newly appointed scholars dress as demons, feasting and making noise inside. Meanwhile, he commanded the Celestial Master Zhang to subdue the demons. Upon arriving at Long’an Ridge, the Celestial Master set up an altar and began his ritual. Suddenly, the mountain shook and the earth split, resulting in the deaths of 99 scholars inside the cave, with only one near the entrance losing a foot. Afterward, the Min Tiande Emperor, lamenting the unjust deaths, posthumously honored the 99 executed scholars as Taibao, with Xiao Zhen as their leader, and established a temple on Long’an Ridge to enshrine their spirits. The scholar who lost a foot was honored as a mountain spirit and enshrined in various mountain god temples. From then on, the worship of Taibao gradually spread among the people.

The “Black-faced Xiao Gong the Great Emperor” in the Taibao Hall stands 8 meters tall, with 99 carved lines on the altar table before him, each depicting different expressions. There is also a white-bodied blue-and-white porcelain incense burner, 23 cm tall and 25.3 cm in diameter, with the inscription on the front: “Erected in the 32nd year of Guangxu, 1906 (Bingwu), Presented by Disciple Li Menggeng to Xiao Gong.” It features carvings of clouds, ocean waves, and two dragons paying homage to a pearl. In front of Xiao Gong’s statue is a root carving of eight children carrying a gold ingot, made from a 1.8-meter-diameter yew tree. There is also a theater stage in front of the hall.

Friends, now we come to the Guanyin Hall. The Purple Bamboo Guanyin statue sits at the center, accompanied by root carvings of lingzhi mushrooms, plum and crane motifs, incense burners, and buddhist disciples. Along the central and side walls of the hall are 299 root-carved Buddha figures forming a complete assembly of deities, ranking first in Northern Fujian for root-carved Buddha collections.

Friends, now we arrive at the Guan Di Hall. The statue of Guan Sheng Di Jun (Lord Guan) is carved from chestnut wood (large-leaf variety), standing 6.66 meters tall and 2.28 meters wide at the base, tall and majestic with an imposing presence. The hall walls feature continuous root carvings depicting nine legendary scenes: the Peach Garden Oath, Returning the Seal and Resigning from Office, Escorting Sister-in-Law for a Thousand Miles, Meeting in Ancient City, Passage Through Huarong, Battle of Changsha, Single Saber Meeting, Flooding of Seven Armies, and Reading the Spring and Autumn Annals at Night, collectively titled “Guan Yu’s Righteousness Pierces the Heavens.” The lattice doors of the hall are carved with 24 illustrated panels of Guan Yu’s legendary tales.

Friends, now we come to the Da’Nai Hall. Please don’t misunderstand—this has nothing to do with the colloquial meanings of “first wife” or “second wife.” Instead, it is dedicated to three goddesses: Chen Jinggu, Lady Lin, and Lady Li, who were sworn sisters. Da’Nai (literally “The Great Mother”) possesses great spiritual power and can resolve many difficult problems. She is a widely worshipped Taoist goddess in southern China, renowned for “delivering babies safely and protecting women and children,” and is deeply beloved by the people of Jian’ou.

Friends, after viewing the Sacred Wood Mazu and the various halls, you can now enjoy some water activities. Nearby is Pit Bottom Lake, a small reservoir that serves irrigation, aquaculture, and tourism purposes. Today, Pit Park has become a leisure resort integrating dining, accommodation, and recreation. You can fish by the shore, take a raft and drift with the current, or hop on a couples’ boat or cruise to enjoy the fresh air and pastoral scenery on the water—it’s endlessly fun and will surely bring you relaxation and joy.

Source: Office of the People’s Government of Jian’ou City