Qingshui Ziyun Temple
Ziyun Temple in Qingshui is located in Aofeng Village, Qingshui District, Taichung City. It is a temple dedicated primarily to Guanyin Bodhisattva and serves as a spiritual center for the local community. With a long history and vibrant religious activities, Ziyun Temple is not only a sacred religious site but also plays a crucial role in local society and culture.
Religious Activities and Festivals
Every year on the 19th day of the second lunar month, the birthday of Guanyin Bodhisattva, large crowds of worshippers gather at Ziyun Temple. The atmosphere is solemn and lively, reflecting deep-rooted folk beliefs.
In the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival rituals (Pudu) are conducted in rotation by the 32 villages of the Qingshui area. Traditionally held on the 15th day, the temple moved the official ritual to the 21st due to households performing their own offerings on the 15th. The head organizers rotate every 10 years, and the incense master rotates in a 32-year cycle. Rituals include traditional practices such as proclamations, deity invitation, hearth installation, spirit summoning, repentance ceremonies, seven offerings, and small-scale offerings.
"Second Mazu" Pilgrimage and Historical Origins
On the 1st day of the ninth lunar month, the “Second Mazu” statue from Ziyun Temple goes on a pilgrimage to Gaomei, where a temporary altar is set up for three days. This event originates from a local legend: a fisherman in Gaomei found a glowing piece of driftwood, later dreamed of Guanyin instructing him to carve it into a statue and enshrine it at Ziyun Temple. Today, five villages—Gaomei, Gao-Dong, Gao-Xi, Gao-Nan, and Gao-Bei—take turns serving as incense masters to preserve this tradition.
Additionally, on the 18th or 19th day of the ninth lunar month, devotees from Ziming Temple and Zian Temple in Xinshe visit Ziyun Temple for incense-offering pilgrimages. These worshippers were originally residents of Qingshui who relocated to Xinshe in the 1950s due to the expansion of Ching Chuan Kang Airport and still maintain strong emotional ties to their hometown beliefs.
Teacher’s Day and Wenchang Belief
On Teacher’s Day, Ziyun Temple also becomes a venue for worshipping Wenchang Dijun, the god of culture and literature. The original Wenchang Temple in Qingshui was destroyed in an earthquake in 1935, after which the statue was temporarily housed in Ziyun Temple for many years. Later, a dedicated Wenchang Hall was built following the architectural style of Lukang Tianhou Temple’s Wenchang Hall and was completed alongside the Taisui Hall on December 10, 1999.
Mazu Pilgrimage Rest Stop
Ziyun Temple is not only a major site for Guanyin worship but also an important stop on other religious pilgrimages in Taiwan. It serves as a key rest point during the annual Dajia Mazu pilgrimage. In July 2020, both the Baishatun Mazu and Shanbian Mazu also stopped and stayed at Ziyun Temple during their respective pilgrimages to Beigang Chaotian Temple.
