六腳大庄舊五福宮

Liujiao Wufu Temple

September 6th, 2024

Wufu Temple is an obscure site in the floodplains of Liujiao, Chiayi County, immediately opposite from the historic town of Beigang. The original temple, dedicated to the Five Emperors (五帝) and Xuanwu (玄天上帝), served as a spiritual center for several villages in the area. Although the temple claims a history extending back to the early Daoguang (道光) period of the Qing dynasty the structure visible today dates to a 1960 reconstruction.

The Remains of Wufu Temple (六腳大庄舊五福宮遺址) — An extraordinary site in the scrubland of the floodplains outside Beigang.

What appears at first glance to be a temple partially buried in farmland is actually just a discarded rooftop deliberately left behind when the building was dismantled in 1965. The temple’s relocation was necessitated by the construction of flood control measures along the Beigang River (北港溪). Due to financial constraints following the extensive flood control project, villagers salvaged building materials from the old temple to construct a new one within the protection of the levee, leaving only the ornate roof structure in the original location.

A Closer Look at Wufu Temple (六腳大庄舊五福宮遺址) — Detail of the left side of the temple roof showing a tiger.

Rooftop Detail of Wufu Temple (六腳大庄舊五福宮遺址) — Fu Lu Shuo (福祿壽), also known as the Three Stars (三星), are a common rooftop centerpiece on Taiwanese temples.

The site was rediscovered in 2016 when photographs of the seemingly buried temple circulated widely, prompting investigation by cultural heritage experts. When I first visited I assumed there was an actual temple buried beneath the shifting soil of the floodplains, and only later did I learn this is an illusion. Apparently it was evaluated for its cultural value and found lacking, but local farmers seem content to leave it in place, and it has also served as a filming location for television productions.

Map

Points

Former Site (舊遺址)—Remnants (遺跡)
The rooftop of the old temple can be found here in fields next to the river.
Current Site (現址)—Remnants (遺跡)
This is the site of the new temple that replaced the old, rebuilt with some of the original material and housing the idols and other relics from the previous temple.
- Google Maps