RS100 = Top 100 Religious Scenes of Taiwan.
The "Top 100 Religious Scenes of Taiwan" encompass a hundred iconic religious sites and activities that were chosen via public vote and announced by the Ministry of Interior on Nov. 22, 2013. these sites embody the history of early Taiwanese settlers and illustrate both diversity and the island's religious landscape.
The Manka Longshan Temple is also one of National Monuments.
The Manka Longshan Temple is the first temple in Taiwan to incorporate bronze dragon columns and a roof of sedan-chair style (jiàodǐngshì) roofs on its bell and drum towers.
Longshan Temple was the center of religion, self-governance, and self-defense for Manka locals during the Qing Dynasty. It is considered to be one of the three great temples of Taipei, along with Manka Qingshui Temple and Dalongdong Baoan Temple. Longshan temple underwent a reconstruction in 1920, during which were added works of three renowned temple artisans from Quanzhou-carpenter Ong Ek-sun, stone mason Xin A-jiu, and Ang Khun-hok, master of Koji ceramics and mosaic-like traditional cut-and-paste porcelain craft (jiǎnnián). The refurbished temple thus became a hall of living museum showcasing masterworks of traditional folk art. The fore hall features an octagonal caisson ceiling and Taiwan’s only pair of bronze dragon columns. The main hall has a superb round caisson ceiling with carved wood designs spiraling upwards like dragons into the ceiling well. The whole is supported by golden columns, a unique style that is rarely seen. The entire structure is a repository of exquisite and intricate stone and woodcarvings, paintings, and tracery. Beyond expressing the beauty of traditional temples, it is a priceless artistic treasure. Longshan Temple has been designated as a municipal historical site. The bell and drum towers that sit atop the wings at the two sides of the temple (hùshì) are the first in Taiwan to incorporate hexagonal, triple-eaved roofs. Their magnificent design has influenced the architecture of temples all over Taiwan.
Manka (known as Wanhua today) is the oldest district of Taipei City. Qing Dynasty Han Chinese began work to fund the construction of Longshan Temple in 1738, to build an abode for the Guanyin Buddha of Jinjiang (Anhai) Longshan Temple, Fujian Province, to impart its divine presence to Taiwan. Construction was completed in February of 1740. Devastated by major earthquakes and heavy rainfalls between 1760 and 1870 (through the Qing Dynasty and Japanese rule in Taiwan), the temple was in need of a large-scale reconstruction to repair the damage. Before the reconstruction, parts of the temple were used as a school, a military camp, and offices. In 1919, Abbot Fu-chih and local intellectuals organized fundraising to reconstruct the crumbling temple. They hired master carpenter Ong Ek-sun (1861-1931) and stone mason Xin A-jiu to restructure the temple. The two craftsmen laid the foundation for Longshan Temple’s appearance today. During World War Two, in 1945, Longshan Temple was hit and damaged by American bombers, and further restoration did not take place until 1955 due to severe economic repercussions from the war. The temple underwent several renovations after Taiwan’s retrocession. A repair was carried out after the stone columns in the main hall were damaged by the big Jiji earthquake in 1999. Longshan Temple is now designated as a municipal historical site in Taipei City.
The container is a small canister with magnet. Only a log-paper in it. Please bring a pen for this cache.