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Chihshan Longhu Temple

Chihshan Longhu Temple is a famous historical temple. Every year, the worshipping festival begins five or six days prior to February 19, but the highlights won’t happen until the 17th, 18th, and on the weekends during the festival. On February 18th through the 20th, all 12 villages take turns hosting the event to celebrate Buddha’s birthday. The current route for the guests is: Enter Lioujia from the mountain entrance and exit through Guantian after praying in order to avoid congestion among the crowds. Chihshan Longhu Temple is a famous historic temple with 300 years of history. According to legend, in the early years of Cing Emperor Kangsi’s reign, the southern region suffered large floods. In the present district of Yongkang Jhouzaiwei (now Anping Port tributaries), a blue whetstone stone was found that looked similar to the goddess Guanyin. It was said that the stone had floated all the way from Nanhai Putuo Mountain, but it was too heavy for people to move. At the time, a man named Hu Jiandao who lives at Chihshan Fort heard about the stone while he was transporting sugar. He went to worship the stone and prayed that Guanyin Bodhisattva would grant his wish that the stone could be moved to Chihshan Fort to be worshipped. When he attempted to pick the stone up, he was able to easily lift it onto a cart as it felt as light as a feather. As soon as he returned to Longhu Village, the stone immediately became as immobile as a mountain. Through divination it was determined that it was Buddha’s wishes that the stone remained there and so it became a temple. Legend also says that Koxinga’s counselor Chen Yonghua built the temple to become the headquarters for the Heaven and Earth Society. The building was restored many times, with the last restoration in 1972. Every year, from New Year’s Day to the 9th day of the New Year, a religious ceremony— Worship 10,000 Buddhas, is held. Since the Chihshan Longhu Temple is viewed as a legitimate Buddhist temple, there has been a never-ending stream of Buddhist worshippers.