Daxi Woodcraft – A Century-Old Culture Passed Down Through Fragrant Brown Timber

text Jiang Yurun  photo Zhang Jinrui偬以笆姓??br />  
In Daxi, many woodcraft workshops include the character “Xie” (协) in their names. This is because creating a fine piece of work requires the combined efforts of carpentry, carving, and lacquering—not only signifying collaboration but also representing a shared life and spirit. Woodworking in Daxi is not merely a traditional industry or a historical memory, but also the spiritual essence of the people here.

Although trees may fall, their lives do not end there—they continue in another form. In the past, people would go up the mountains to fell timber in spring, then use the surging waters of the Dahan River in summer to transport the wood to Daxi. With easily accessible raw materials and convenient transportation, Daxi never lacked the timber needed for its early development. At that time, the Dahan River was much wider and deeper than it is today, allowing boats to sail downstream to Dadaocheng in just four hours. Coupled with local production of camphor, tea, coal, and timber, international trade flourished, and many became wealthy through commerce. During the Jiaqing era, the wealthy merchant Lin Pinghou settled in Daxi (his son later founded the Banqiao Lin Benyuan Trading Company), and built the Tongyi Mansion on a plot of four hectares. He brought over many craftsmen from the mainland, including carpenters. Before returning to the mainland, these artisans passed on their skills to the local youth. As the skills were passed down through generations, the woodworking techniques grew increasingly refined, and Daxi’s woodcraft industry gained fame across Taiwan, becoming a distinctive part of the local culture.
 
Although modern people immediately associate Daxi with dried tofu, the town’s God Table Road and Bridal Procession Road are also very famous. God Table Road features works such as Eight-Immortal Tables and Grand Masters’ Chairs, while Bridal Procession Road includes items like Eight-Legged Canopy Beds and Dressing Tables and Chairs. This time, Teacher Fan will take us through the woodcraft history of Daxi.

The unassuming exterior of Zhaiming Temple hides national treasures.
When it comes to Daxi’s God Table Road, Teacher Fan first takes us to Zhaiming Temple, located across from the old street. During the Qing Dynasty, a farmer from Daxi named Li Ajia became a monk and traveled to Fayu Temple on Mount Putuo in South China to study Buddhism. He received the dharma name Xingyue and, during the Daoguang era, brought back a statue of Guanyin and returned to his hometown to practice in a simple hut, which was initially named Fufen Palace—this was the predecessor of Zhaiming Temple. Later, as the Longhua Sect of the Zhaijiao sect became popular in Taiwan, the Fufen Palace lineage was continued and the site was rebuilt as Zhaiming Hall. During the Japanese colonial period, because the abbot had studied under the Yongquan Temple in Gushan, Fuzhou, the temple became part of the Soto Zen sect of the Rinzai school. In the 12th year of the Showa era, under the threat of the Kōminka Movement, Zhaiming Temple joined the Japanese Soto sect to survive—this is why the emblems of Japan’s Eihei-ji and Sojiji temples appear above the left and right shrines. Currently, Zhaiming Temple belongs to the Foguangshan organization, bringing it back into the lineage of the Chinese Soto sect.

Externally, Zhaiming Temple is a modest traditional courtyard house. Though its façade features some quite exquisite decorations, it remains relatively understated compared to other famous temples and shrines. “Don’t underestimate this place—it holds many treasures,” says Teacher Fan. The first item he shows us is the offering table in the main hall. Carved in 1937 by master woodcarver Huang Guili from a single block of boxwood, the table depicts the theme “Emperor Tang Minghuang’s Night Visit to the Moon Palace.” The exquisite craftsmanship and refined techniques are truly breathtaking. Whether it’s the hollow-carved patterns, the inlays, or the lacquering, every detail is flawless. The figures in the scene display various poses and expressions, lifelike and vivid, bustling as if part of a grand celebration.
Teacher Fan also reminds us to look up at the beams above the offering table. The black background with gold-inked Buddhist stories appears both elegant and unique. This technique, known as “Leigong Hua” (擂金画), was popular in the Guangdong region. It earned its name because during the painting process, gold foil is filtered and ground into fine powder. Since Leigong Hua is not commonly seen in Taiwanese temples, the gold-inked beams at Zhaiming Temple are especially precious.

The treasure of Zhaiming Temple is the only replica in Taiwan of the Song Dynasty’s Qisha Canon, originally carved on wood over 91 years by three generations of nuns starting during the Song and Yuan periods. It earned its name from being first carved at the Yansheng Temple in Qisha, Suzhou. Legend says that to focus entirely on carving the scriptures, they even severed one of their own arms as a symbol of devotion. In 1931, Shanghai reprinted the scriptures using the ancient blocks, and the abbot of Zhaiming Temple immediately brought a set back from the mainland, setting a precedent for the preservation of ancient canon prints in Taiwan. Other treasures include authentic calligraphy works by Yu Youren and Yan Jiagan, as well as the Jingzi Pavilion behind the temple, built in the fifth year of the Tongzhi era (1866)—all are well worth seeing.
 
InLi Tengfang’s Ancient Residence – Appreciating the Refinement of the Scholar-Gentry Class
Having observed the expression of woodcraft in religion, we next head to Li Tengfang’s Ancient Residence to see how a wealthy family used wood carvings to adorn their residence. Even before entering the mansion, the six pairs of upturned swallowtail ridges on the roof suggest that its owner must have been a person of distinction in the area. Li Tengfang was the only successful imperial examination candidate (Juren) in Daxi’s history. His father made his fortune through rice trading along the Dahan River, and to this day, the magnificent archway of the family’s “Jinxing” merchant store can still be seen at the intersection of Central Road and Desheng Road.