Department of Cultural Affairs

Qingshui Temple, Mengjia

Qingshui Temple was built in 1787. Primarily honoring Master Qingshui, the guardian god of the people of Anxi County, Fujian Province, it was established as a branch of the Qingshui Temple of Anxi's Hunei Township by immigrants from that area. The original temple burned down in 1853 when violence erupted between people from Tong'an living in the Xia district of Mengjia and people from Jinjiang, Nan'an and Hui'an living in the Ding district, in a struggle over the control of harbor trade on the Tamsui River V an event known as the “Ding-Xia feud." Qingshui Temple was rebuilt in 1867. Its rear hall has since been rebuilt a third time, but the main hall has kept the same appearance as at the time of reconstruction. Along with Longshan and Qingshan temples, it is considered one of the “three great temples of Mengjia."
Qingshui Temple was originally complete in form, with a front hall, a main sanctuary in the middle, and a shrine to the goddess Mazu in the back. Master Qingshui was the guardian god of the people of Anxi County, who early on opened up most of the surrounding farmland in the Taipei basin. Toward the end of the Qing dynasty, China and France went to war, and the French military invaded Tamsui. The people of Taipei heard warning of the invasion, and according to tradition petitioned Master Qingshui for assistance. Taipei was left untouched by the conflict. Qingshui Temple was used as a school during the era of Japanese rule (1895-1946), and was later established as the Number 2 Prefectural Middle School, the predecessor of today's Cheng Gong High School, thus playing a very significant role in the history of education on Taiwan. On August 19, 1985, Qingshui Temple was designated the 10th historical site of Taipei City. In recent years, the temple's interior has undergone refurbishment, to perpetually preserve this building of immense historical value.