Kunshan Huiju Temple

Kunshan Huiju Temple is the largest Mazu Temple in East China, yet it was initiated by Taiwanese businessmen, designed by craftsmen from Lukang, and built by artisans from Quanzhou, essentially "relocating" the Lukang Longshan Temple and Quanzhou Tianhou Palace to the Jiangnan water town.

Highlights:
Fujian-Taiwan Heritage: Featuring red walls with swallowtail ridges, golden glazed tiles, gilded door ornaments, and Koji pottery decorations, it almost perfectly replicates the Lukang Longshan Temple.
Seven-Layer Central Axis: From the Mountain Gate → Bell and Drum Towers → Heavenly King Hall → Yuantong Treasure Hall → Tianhou Palace → Manjushri and Samantabhadra Hall → Nine-Story Pagoda, each step ascends, with grandeur building progressively.
Tianhou Palace: The largest Mazu Hall in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region, its incense tradition originates from the Lukang Tianhou Palace, with wood carvings and caisson ceilings crafted in traditional Fujian style.
Suzhou-Style Back Garden: Behind the pagoda lies a Jiangnan courtyard with small bridges and flowing water, where red walls and green bamboo create a striking contrast, perfect for photography.
Cultural Experiences: Activities like scripture copying and Buddhist music appreciation are available, with the liveliest event being the "Mazu Ascension Ceremony" on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.

My On-Site Experience:
The moment I stepped through the mountain gate, I felt an illusion of "instantly arriving in Lukang"—the warm hues of the red-brick ancient houses completely washed away the usual blue-gray tones of Jiangnan. In the Heavenly King Hall, the laughing Maitreya caught my eye, but I was first drawn to the colorful Koji pottery decorations on the roof: aoyu fish, flying dragons, and fire pearls, resembling a floating Minnan lantern festival. Further in, the scale of the Tianhou Palace was unexpected; standing before the hall, I had to look up to see the caisson ceiling clearly. The overwhelming sense of awe from its sheer size was something I hadn’t even experienced at the Quanzhou Tianhou Palace. Pressing my wide-angle lens to the ground, I captured the red walls, golden tiles, and the distant nine-story pagoda in one frame—even a phone shot looked like a poster. In the afternoon, climbing the pagoda for a bird's-eye view, I realized the entire temple is nestled within an industrial park, with modern factories juxtaposed against upturned eaves, creating a cyberpunk-like surrealism. As I left, the setting sun outlined the swallowtail ridges in gold, leaving me with just one thought: Taiwanese businessmen have materialized nostalgia, and it’s truly powerful.

Post by AUBREE FORD | Jul 18, 2025