Fengyuan Nangang Fude Temple

Date CapturedMarch 31st, 2016 at 12:13 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IIApertureƒ / 3.8Shutter Speed1/30 secFocal Length23.0 mmISO1100Exposure Value8.8 EVOriginal Size1800 × 1200

Coming down from the hills of Shigang late one evening I noticed an ordinary shrine to Tudigong (土地公), the Land God, by the roadside on the outskirts of Fengyuan. There are literally thousands of similar temples scattered all over the nation but the reflection of all those red lanterns on the curved glass of the car parked out front caught my eye. I wonder what its story might be. Every temple has one—though it isn’t always easy to divine.

Now with the benefit of internet access and some time on my hands I’ve been able to puzzle out a few details. This is Nángǎng Fúdé Temple (南崗福德祠), notable for having been damaged, like so many other buildings in this part of Taiwan, by the devastating 921 Earthquake. Unsurprisingly, the local community rallied to rebuild the temple a few years later in 2002.