Tamsui Ancestral Temple

Tamsui Ancestral Temple

Tamsui Ancestral Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

“The watchtower reflects Yuxu Palace, the setting sun tilts half toward the Ox Field. The ancient well connects to the East Sea Hall, while the bells and drums of Tanhua disturb the Moon Palace. The plum ridge unfolds like a splendid screen, the Iron Lake Academy stands timeless. The crab-shaped building faces upstream to aid the Guild Hall, and the returning dragon watches over its master at Xietian Palace.” These are the “Eight Scenic Spots of Tamsui” as depicted by Deng Chengxiu, historically known as the “Iron Brush Censor.” Among them, “the returning dragon watches over its master at Xietian Palace” describes what is now Tamsui Ancestral Temple.

Tamsui Ancestral Temple was first built during the generally acknowledged period of the Ming Dynasty’s Emperor Shenzong (Zhu Yijun, also known as Wanli, 1580–1620), boasting a history of over 400 years. Historical records indicate that since the late Song Dynasty, three major clans—the Zhan, Dai, and Li—had resided in Tamsui. Initially, disputes and conflicts frequently arose among these clans over a piece of land considered highly auspicious. This led to unrest and instability in the lives of local residents. Later, the county magistrate ruled that the three clans should jointly build a temple on this site to worship Guan Yu, a deity widely revered among the people. The temple was named Zhongyi Temple (now known as the Ancestral Temple), symbolizing that the three clans would henceforth treat each other with loyalty, uphold righteousness, cease contention, and live in peace. Indeed, after the construction of Zhongyi Temple, the clans no longer fought over the land. The peaceful environment contributed to a growing population in Tamsui, which eventually developed into a well-known town. Due to its unique historical significance, Zhongyi Temple stood out among the many temples in the area, such as Luban Temple, Tamgong Temple, and Mayang Temple, and was ultimately revered by the locals as the origin of all temples, hence the name “Ancestral Temple.” According to the Huizhou County Annals, the Ancestral Temple was hailed as “the foremost grandeur among local homes,” highlighting its premier status among the temples of Tamsui. It is also said that in the past, on clear and breezy days, one could gaze directly at the East Sea (today’s South China Sea) from the temple steps, earning it yet another title: “the foremost dragon grandeur of the Ancestral Temple.”

The main hall of Tamsui Ancestral Temple, also known as “Xietian Palace,” was renovated in the fifth year of the Daoguang reign during the Qing Dynasty (1825). During the Cultural Revolution, the temple suffered considerable damage. In the winter of 1988, the Ancestral Temple was restored, and in 1993, it was designated as a cultural relic protection unit by Huiyang City. After further reconstruction in 1999, it evolved into the scale we see today.

In the past, temples such as Mayang Temple and Tamgong Temple formed a temple cluster centered around the Ancestral Temple, covering an area of about six square kilometers. From the first to the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year each year, folk activities such as “Jiao rituals” and the “outing of the deity elders” were held, showcasing rich Hakka local customs. However, over time and through events such as the Cultural Revolution, temples like Tamgong Temple were gradually damaged or demolished, and related activities ceased. To better preserve historical relics and continue the cultural legacy of Tamsui’s temples, in 1998, the Ancestral Temple Management Committee restored five deities: Tamgong, Luban, Hua Tuo, Tianhou (Goddess of the Sea), and Guanyin. As a result, in addition to Guan Yu, the Ancestral Temple now also enshrines these five deities, who were the main figures worshipped in the former temple cluster.

The restored Ancestral Temple features a traditional quadrangle courtyard layout with two courtyards, covering a total area of approximately 1,830 square meters, with a building area of 1,337 square meters. The main hall is eight meters wide and 16 meters deep, with a gable-and-hip roof as its primary structure, using a mixed beam framework of raised beams and through-tenons. The roof ridge of the main hall is adorned with ceramic sculptures of two dragons playing with a pearl. The interior of the hall houses solemn and dignified deities amid lingering incense. The hall is divided into two sections with three bays: the front section serves as a worship pavilion, and the rear section displays the statues of the deities. The walls are decorated with murals depicting dragons and phoenixes, landscapes, flowers and birds, the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars, the Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage, the Three Battles with Lu Bu, and the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea.

Currently, the Ancestral Temple enjoys thriving incense offerings. In addition to worshippers from Tamsui and Aotou, visitors also come from Huidong, Boluo, and other areas. Especially during the Lunar New Year in January, worshippers flock to the temple without interruption, with daily visitor numbers exceeding 100,000.

In recent years, as a valuable cultural and historical resource of Tamsui, the preservation and development of the Ancestral Temple have received increasing attention and support from the government and various sectors of society, with nearly 2 million yuan invested in its restoration. However, due to its location in the old urban area, the surrounding dilapidated buildings detract from the temple’s scenery, and the narrow roads and outdated infrastructure hinder further development of its cultural resources. During this year’s fourth session of the Third Huiyang District People’s Congress, district deputies proposed for the first time the establishment of a Tamsui Ancestral Temple Cultural Square. This proposal garnered high attention from both district and subdistrict governments, leading to the formation of a preparatory working group for the Tamsui Ancestral Temple Cultural Square, headed by the deputy district head. After gathering extensive input, the group formulated the “Tamsui Ancestral Temple Cultural Square Planning Proposal.” The planned cultural square will cover a total area of 16,497.8 square meters, including 4,006 square meters of building footprint, 8,007 square meters of paved area, and 4,483.8 square meters of green space. The total project cost is 12.358 million yuan. Upon completion, the square will feature open spaces, green belts, parking lots, newly constructed commercial buildings, renovations to a senior activity center, and an entrance gate. Currently, the preparatory work for the Ancestral Temple Cultural Square is proceeding in an orderly manner. It is believed that in the near future, Tamsui Ancestral Temple, this historic cultural gem, will shine even more brilliantly.

Source: Local Chronicles Office of Huiyang District, Huizhou City