Shilin Shennong Temple. Today, the architecture of Shennong Temple features a two-courtyard, five-bay layout, with a bell tower and a drum tower situated above the left and right wing rooms flanking the San Chuan Hall. Today, the architecture of Shennong Temple features a two-courtyard, five-bay layout, with a bell tower and a drum tower situated above the left and right wing rooms flanking the San Chuan Hall. The main hall of Shennong Temple has two stories. The main deity enshrined, Emperor Shennong, is worshipped on the central second floor, while Fude Zhengshen is enshrined in the central first floor. In addition to the three doors of the San Chuan Hall, the front of Shennong Temple also has one door each in front of the left and right wing rooms. As Emperor Shennong is a deity of the highest rank, temples dedicated to him can have five or more doors at the front to display the deity's noble status. During ancient imperial China, the court regulated that temple architecture must correspond to the rank of the deity enshrined. Shilin Shennong Temple was originally named "Zhilan Temple" and was dedicated to the earth god Fude Zhengshen. However, when Shilin residents rebuilt the temple for Fude Zhengshen during the Qianlong era, they used a swallowtail roof style, which was reserved for deities of imperial rank. This not only highlighted the earth god's important status in the hearts of the pioneers but also made the temple too ornate and non-compliant with regulations. To avoid the penalty of demolition for violating regulations, local residents added Emperor Shennong, a deity of imperial rank, as the main deity. This transformation also reflects the compromise and integration between Han Chinese temples, family ritual order, and local community beliefs. Shilin Shennong Temple has undergone several renovations but still retains many old artifacts, such as the San
Address: 臺北市士林區石角前街74之1
Hours: 00:00–23:59
Taipei