Name of Temple: Zhenwu Temple
Commanding deity: Xuantian Shangdi
Address: No. 104, Xijian Road, Zhonghe Li, Wuqi District, Taichung City
Brief introduction: Established in the 25th years of Daoguang Emperor in Qing Dynasty (or in 1845) by mainly the board directors of Jishun Company (集順號), the Zhenwu Temple served mainly as a worship place for the Tsai family and residents in Zhonghe Li. It was also used in the early days for many other purposes, such as a place for chatting, meeting, conference, accommodation, religion, commerce, and education.
A divination-shaped wooden board has been well preserved up to now. On the board were engraved the records of when and by whom the Temple was built and renovated. In addition, a plaque inscribed with "Wei Zhao Ying Yu" (威昭瀛嶼) has been also well preserved since 1864 or the third year of Tongzhi Emperor. It was a plaque conferred by the then Changhua county magistrate Wang Zhen (王楨) and garrison commander Zheng Rong (鄭榮) to express their gratitude towards the blessing conferred by Xuantian Shangdi.
The Zhenwu Temple has been well preserved for more than 150 years. Unlike most of the other temples which have been transformed into a northern palace-style or re-constructed by modern engineering methods, the Zhenwu Temple is the only traditional temple on the old Wiqi Street to witness the Street’s development history.
The Zhenwu Temple is mainly composed of the mountain gate, pavilions (Sichui Kiosks), wing rooms, covered porches, and the main hall. The mountain gate is three-room wide, with its rooftop designed in the traditional Sanchuan (三川脊) or triple "gate" wooden structure. The Sichui Kiosks are the transit area connecting the mountain gate with the main hall. The wing rooms and covered porches are supported by attached pilasters and eaves. The main hall is also three-room wide, with its rooftops designed in a simpler form than the mountain gate.