Nanan XianDu Palace

Nanan XianDu Palace

XianDu Palace (MingJing Society) is located at the junction of Shishan Town and Matou Town in Nanan City, administratively falling under Matou Town. The administrative village is XianDu Village, formerly known as Shandou Village.

The original site of XianDu Palace was at the end of Shuiwei Anwei. Judging from the era of the deities worshipped within, the temple had already existed and was thriving in incense offerings before the year 990 AD. The palace has withstood the changes of historical dynasties. Despite the rise and fall of Buddhism, it has ultimately been passed down to this day. In the 1960s, it was demolished, but the villagers’ faith remained strong, and private worship continued unabated. Therefore, in 1998, Mr. Xie Yaofang, a devotee from Taiwan, entrusted Mr. Yu Wenting to come to the village and coordinate with Mr. Zi Xian to assist with the reconstruction of the palace. Mr. Zi Xian organized two meetings with local and external devotees and community leaders, forming the XianDu Palace Preparatory Committee. With the support of donations totaling RMB 185,000 from Mr. Lin Yuzhong, the head of Xingshan Hall in Tainan, Taiwan, along with Abbot Lin Guoyu, and devotee Mr. Xie Xinlin, as well as over RMB 100,000 from other local and external devotees, sufficient funds were raised for the construction. The new site of the palace was chosen through a divination ceremony involving three positive lots cast in front of the shrine of XianYu ZunHou at Fudi Palace. The orientation is Qian-Xun combined with Xu-Chen. On the fourth day of the fifth lunar month that year, the foundation was laid, and the construction was completed by August. The newly built palace is magnificent, with red walls and green tiles, carved dragons and phoenixes. It embodies the charm of an ancient temple while also showcasing the style of modern architecture. It covers an area of 1,600 square meters. Upon completion, a grand ceremony was held to enshrine the deities within the palace.

Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Zi Xian, who persuaded others with the long-term vision for the palace, in 2000, Malaysian overseas Chinese devotee Mr. Huang Shuishan and devotee Ms. Ye Xiuying generously donated RMB 55,000 to build the XianDu Palace stage. Indonesian overseas Chinese devotee Mr. Huang Ruiquan donated RMB 150,000 to construct the palace’s reception room “Yingbin Pavilion,” as well as the palace’s cement pathways and the large cement plaza in front of the palace. In 2010, local devotee Mr. Huang Haibo and devotee Ms. Hong Qiongxuan respectfully donated RMB 50,000 to renovate the roof of the palace and construct the viewing pavilion in front of the stage. The current palace is situated against a mountain and beside water, facing the Baiyun Bipod Peak, with Zhongshan’s Wenzhu Peak to the side. The temple, Yingbin Pavilion, stage, stone bridge, railings, green trees, and red flowers form a natural scenic spot with great poetic charm. It is a sacred site for local villagers and devotees from around the world to offer incense, as well as one of the leisure and cultural exchange venues for the people of XianDu.

The main hall enshrines the Crown Prince ZunWang of MingJing Society. According to current records, he is ranked as the Ninth TaiBao, born in the Wuping Wuxu Year (998 AD), named DuiBao, with the divine title Wule ShengHao, the Marshal of the Five Constants Army. He is one of the most prominent deities among the Thirteen Temple Shrines. The sword and seal attendants of Prince ZunWang are also enshrined in front of the hall. The main hall also venerates YiGaoTang’s Clear Water Real Person, Fudi Palace’s XianYu ZunHou, and later, Hong Kong-based devotees Mr. Huang Rongguang, Mr. Huang Jiaxin, Mr. Huang Sike, Mr. Huang YinDian, and Mr. Huang YinZuo further commissioned the secondary golden statues of Guangze ZunWang from Fengshan Temple and Miaoying Yude Immortal Consort. The left hall enshrines King Qianan, while the right hall enshrines Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy from Baiyun Chamber. For over a thousand years, the deities enshrined here have demonstrated remarkable spiritual power, saving devotees from suffering, eliminating disasters and illnesses, protecting crops from pests, ensuring bountiful harvests, and bringing peace and favorable weather throughout the seasons. They have turned conflict into harmony, resolved human disputes, fulfilled vows, and earned the deep reverence and faith of countless devotees. Legends such as the “Ancient Tile Kiln Rescues the Buddha’s Vehicle,” “The Nighttime Stay of the Holy Buddha Eradicates the Plague,” and “The Fat Pig Follows the Buddha’s Vehicle for Three Miles” remain untold and inexplicable, yet they are deeply engraved in the hearts of the devotees. These stories inspire even greater devotion and reverence, which is the reason why the incense offerings have not only endured but flourished for thousands of years.

With its long history, the temple was listed in 2006 as a research unit for Fujian Province’s local historical and cultural heritage by the Fujian Folk Culture Research Association and the Fujian Local Culture Series Editorial Committee.