The Qing Shui Yan Temple, commonly called "Zu Shi Gong Miao," was completed in 1937, but the worship of "Luo Bi Zu Shi" dates back to the Xianfeng era, when townspeople began to offer sacrifices. According to legend, whenever natural disasters or human misfortunes occurred, "Luo Bi Zu Shi" would show signs to warn the townspeople. The temple is often worshipped and paraded by residents near Hupu. The most famous legend is from the Tongzhi era, when the deity miraculously saved the people of Shimen from an earthquake. Another legend tells of the Sino-French War, when the deity displayed great power and scared away the French soldiers, earning an imperial inscription of "Gong Zi Zheng Ji" from Emperor Guangxu. It was not until the Showa era that local gentry and community leaders initiated the construction of the temple, which began in 1932 on the original site of the Xiao Fu Wangye Temple. The temple's grand buildings are richly decorated, with works by renowned artisans such as Huang Gui Li's wood carvings, Chen Tian Qi's terracotta art, and Zhang Mu Cheng's stone carvings, making it a treasure house of traditional art in Datong. Every year on the 6th day of the 5th lunar month, the Qing Shui Yan Festival is held with great excitement, resembling a foreign carnival.
Image source: Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Department of Transportation