Jiufen & Jinguashi : Fushan Temple

This Earth God (Tudigong) temple is an interesting blend of Japanese, Chinese and Western elements. The outside features two old stone lamps, while the interior sports a beautiful post-and-beam structure (made without nails), intricately carved stone pillars, and panels, including one over the main altar with nude Western-style angels.

To reach the temple, walk up the main road to the top of the hill where the road splits. Left will take you to Jinguashi and right will take you to Fushan Temple in about 1km.

The Earth God has one of the lowest rankings in the Chinese pantheon, but, not surprisingly in these old mining towns, he is among the most exalted. In the 1930s miners crowded the 200-year-old Fushan Temple daily, praying to the god to point them to a rich vein that would make them gentlemen overnight. After a decision to expand the temple caused panic (‘What if it damages the efficacious feng shui?’), a larger structure was simply constructed over the original, giving Fushan the nickname ‘the temple within a temple’. Alas, the damage appeared to have been done in any case (some claim that other gods were jealous to see Tudigong raised so high), and many blame the building of the larger temple for the decline of Jiufen not a decade later.