Sun Moon Lake Wen Wu Temple Audio Guide

Wenwu Temple: what does the audio guide cover?

1. 01

   Welcome to Wenwu Temple

   Wenwu Temple: Those glittering waters, which reflect both sun and moon, spread out below like a vast open forecourt.

   Welcome to Wenwu Temple, known in Chinese as 文武廟, resting on the hillside above the northern shore of Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County, Taiwan. Look up from the water and you will see it looking down over the lake. Look down from the hilltop and it sits broad, calm and level, as if the land had been waiting for it. This guide sticks to what is solidly told about the temple: its commanding setting, the gods and sages honored inside, its recovery after the great earthquake known as the nine twenty-one earthquake, and the way people use it today. It does not try to pin down a founding date, so we will follow the temple's living story instead. Sun Moon Lake itself covers about 800 hectares, ringed by green mountains that mirror in the water. Wenwu Temple is the grand building you notice when you raise your eyes from that lake. Let's climb up and meet it.

2. 02

   A Temple Placed by the Landscape at Wenwu Temple

   Wenwu Temple: These include Fude Zhengshen, the earth god, and the city god Tianxia Du Chenghuang.

   Wenwu Temple sits on the mountainside north of the lake and faces south, toward the water. Its builders chose the spot with the traditional art of geomancy in mind, often called feng shui. The temple is described as drawing the surrounding peaks around itself like a pair of arms, with the hills on either side embracing the distant sky. In this picture, the lake becomes the temple's front courtyard. Those glittering waters, which reflect both sun and moon, spread out below like a vast open forecourt. From the lake, the temple looks stately and imposing, set high above the shore. From the summit, it looks spacious and steady. So as you take in the view, try reading it the way the temple's own tradition does. The mountains frame the building, the lake welcomes you to it, and the whole scene is meant to feel balanced and open.

3. 03

   Sages and Guardians Enshrined in Wenwu Temple

   Wenwu Temple: The temple's own guidance is that a sincere heart matters most.

   The name tells you something. Wen means learning and culture, and wu means martial valor, and both are honored here. The principal deity is Confucius, the Great Sage and First Teacher, the central figure of the Confucian tradition. Beside him are the five benevolent lords of Taoism: Lord Guan, the Holy Emperor Guan Sheng Di Jun; the martial prince Yue Wumu; Si Ming Zhen Jun; Fu You Di Jun; and Wen Chang Di Jun. Other deities are enshrined alongside them. These include Fude Zhengshen, the earth god, and the city god Tianxia Du Chenghuang. You will also meet the generals Zhou Cang and Guan Ping, companions of Lord Guan. Three of these figures have their birthdays celebrated each year: Confucius, Lord Guan and Yue Wumu. Those festival days are said to be the temple's liveliest moments, when the hillside fills with worshippers. Many of the temple's devotees live overseas, and entertainers, businesses and students are said to hold it in particular affection.

4. 04

   Gate, Lions and Rebuilding at Wenwu Temple

   Your approach begins at the grand main gate, a three-arched pailou in the style the Chinese call sanchuan. Beyond it opens a wide temple plaza, and from there you climb steps up to the halls. On either side of the plaza stands a large red lion, one on each flank, guarding the entrance. Inside, the carvings and painted decoration are described as vivid and finely worked, so take your time looking closely at the details. This hillside has seen change before. During the Japanese occupation, two temples stood on the lake's banks, Longfeng Temple in Shuishe and Yihua Hall in what is now Yitashao, and the building of hydroelectric power plants altered the lake's water levels. In more recent times, the nine twenty-one earthquake damaged Wenwu Temple, and it was repaired thanks to donations from believers in Taiwan and abroad, together with help from the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration.

5. 05

   Before You Head Off

   Wenwu Temple is not only something to photograph; it is a place where people come to ask for guidance. Visitors can seek advice from the deities by casting divination blocks and drawing fortune sticks, then reading the verse that answers their question. If you want to make an offering, a packet of gold paper or a snack from the temple shop is enough. The temple's own guidance is that a sincere heart matters most. For the other halls, you can pay respects in turn according to what each deity oversees, or simply press your palms together in a gesture of respect. Before you leave, turn back toward the lake. See how the water lies in front of the temple like a courtyard, and ask yourself whether the builders' idea of a mountain embrace holds true from where you stand. The lake and its changing light have more stories to offer.