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紫雲寺 is a well-known third‑level historic monument in the Chiayi area, located on the edge of the Alishan mountain range at Bantan Rock. The temple is approximately seventeen kilometres from downtown Chiayi.

In Taiwan, among Buddhist temples, it is one of the older historic sites, having been founded in the 21st year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign (1682). It has now more than three centuries of history. 紫雲寺 faces east‑south from its northwest, and is a temple complex with five openings, two levels, and two corridors, featuring left‑right dragon guardians. A wide temple courtyard lies in front, with left‑right water corridors each hosting a two‑storey bell and drum tower. In front of the main hall, the pillar legs are inscribed: “Purple light peers at color, cloud shadows reflect the heart of the cicada.” The outer eaves are decorated to fall on the first three tiers, and the central doors are flanked by stone carvings of a qilin turning its head.

The carving work at 紫雲寺 is exquisitely delicate, whether it is the dragon pillars, phoenix tails, or roof shingles; all are admired. Between the mountain walls are eight ancient stone plaques, including the “Buddha’s Fragrance Lamp Plaque” from 1765 (established by Zen Master Juefeng, explaining the temple’s property scope), the “Reconstruction Plaque of Bantan Rock” from 1857 (established by Guo Zhuohai), the “Jian Ji Qiang Hall Record,” and the “Bantan Rock Buddha Plaque.” The inscriptions remain legible to this day. In front of the temple stand two two‑hundred‑year‑old plum trees, famously known as “Mandarin Duck Plum.” Surrounding the temple are several hectares of paulownia and tung trees, which, during the flowering season, create a vast sea of white blossoms with a fragrant aroma that lifts the spirit.