Changli Shrine

A shrine in Neipu dedicated to the Tang dynasty literary figure Han Yu (韓愈), better known as Han Changli (韓昌黎). It is regarded as the only temple in Taiwan to take him as its principal deity. Founded in the early 19th century, it doubled as an academy preparing Hakka students of the Liudui (六堆) settlements for the imperial examinations, and a number of Pingtung jinshi (進士) and juren (舉人) passed through its halls during the late Qing dynasty era. Japanese colonial authorities later used the building as a branch of the Fengshan Japanese language institute, and during the Kōminka movement (皇民化運動) it was placed under Buddhist administration to escape demolition. Listed as a third-class national monument in 1973, the shrine was badly damaged by Typhoon Thelma and rebuilt in 1981 with concrete pillars and tiled walls, prompting its removal from the heritage list.