PuYan Shun-Tse Temple

PUYAN SHUN-TZE TEMPLE (埔鹽順澤宮)

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Address: No. 55, Zhongzheng Rd., Puyan Township, Changhua County, Taiwan

Telephone: 04 865 8890 (local) +886-4-8658890

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064852681929 (in Chinese)

SHUN-TSE TEMPLE (順澤宮, Romanized Taiwanese Pronunciation: Sūn Te̍k) was built in the Puyan Township during the Kangxi Emperor’s reigning period (1661~1722) of the Qing dynasty by a local Chens’ family emigrated from Quanzhou of Fujian Province, China. It served as a place of worship and a gathering place for the settlers.

The temple honors primarily Xuantian Shangdi (emperor of the mysterious heaven, 玄天上帝), one of the higher-ranking Taoist deities. Also honored are Shennong (Agriculture God), Nezha (Marshal of the Central Altar), Fudezhengshen (Lord of the Soil and the Ground), Chenghuangshen (City God), to name a few. Over the past three centuries, the temple has undergone many reconstructions. The present structure was rebuilt in 1996 and completed in 1998.

This temple with its floor tiles, walls, corridors and pillars all made of stone appears to be quite unique and exquisite. All visitors must climb two arc-shaped stone steps to enter the main hall on the second floor to worship and give thanks, or simpy to explore. And those stone steps are surrounded by stone walls finely curved with dragons.

The temple is extensively decorated with exquisite wood carvings. The front door is carved from

a whole solid cedar. Other wood carvings are all from the mainland. The joints of worship room and the “Dougong” (structural elements of interlocking wooden brackets) are all connected by mortise and tenon joints without any nails.

Noted in September 2019, soft baseball caps from Shun-Tse Temple have become an overnight sensation after Norwegian triathlete Gustav Iden wore one while crossing the finish line to win the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in France.

“Norwegian triathlete winner Gustav Iden to run in Changhua, Taiwan”, by Geir Yeh Fotland, Norway News (Nov. 1, 2019).

"FEATURE: ‘Lucky’ cap wearer a celebrity in Taiwan", Taipei Times (Dec. 4, 2022)

"How Gustav Iden’s Hat Continues to Conquer The Tri World", Tim Heming, Triathelete (Oct. 20, 2022).

Google Street Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/dRHeM3CSbtUnCtne9