New Taipei City's Crescent Bridge Opens: Temple-Visiting in Xinban Made Easy

(Taiwan Business News) The Crescent Bridge, which connects Banqiao's 435 Art Zone and Xinzhuang Old Street, opened last week for pedestrians and bicycles only. New Taipei City has launched the "Crescent Bridge" cycling temple tour, letting people ride bicycles to visit temples throughout Banqiao and Xinzhuang.

New Taipei City Civil Affairs Director-General Jiang Junting said that the Xinzhuang and Banqiao districts have many famous old temples, making them perfect for using a "BIKE" to be a temple "pilgrim." For example, a cycling group can gather at "Ciyou Temple" on Xinzhuang Old Street, visit "Wusheng Temple," "Chaojiang Temple," and "Fude Temple" along the way, then enter the bridge from the Crescent Bridge entrance beside "Cihui Hall" to head to Banqiao; upon arriving in Banqiao, they can ride to Chaohé Temple, Bao'an Temple, Tianhou Temple and other temples near MRT Jiangzicui Station to pray for blessings.

On the Xinzhuang end of the Crescent Bridge, the city-designated historic site Xinzhuang Ciyou Temple has a history of more than 300 years, older than Taipei City's Longshan Temple, and is the center of faith for many Xinzhuang residents. Ciyou Temple is highly valuable artistically, whether in its carved dragons and painted beams or its temple hall architecture. Inside the temple there are also plaques, ancient steles, and wooden inscribed couplets from the Qianlong, Jiaqing, and other Qing dynasty reigns, all of which are highlights worth appreciating.

In addition, Xinzhuang Wusheng Temple, also a city-designated historic site in Xinzhuang Old Street, was founded in the 25th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty (1760 AD), and is the earliest martial temple in northern Taiwan. The temple hall has a magnificent appearance, and standing outside the hall one can see the typical entrance features of a Guandi temple. Because Lord Guan himself was exceptionally skilled in martial arts, there are no door gods; instead, 108 door nails were installed, representing the 36 Heavenly Spirits and 72 Earthly Fiends.

On the Banqiao end, the statues of the deities at Chaohé Temple and Bao'an Temple are not carved from ordinary wood but molded from porcelain clay. It is said that when Chaohé Temple was built in the 69th year of the Republic of China (1980), because the temple was expanded, the deity statues had to be remade in larger sizes, and the temple cast divination blocks to ask the gods to indicate the method of molding the statues; at that time, the gods indicated "clay molding."

▲The "Crescent Bridge" has opened, connecting the temples of Xinzhuang and Banqiao, making it perfect for using a "BIKE" to be a temple "pilgrim." (Provided by New Taipei City Government)

▲Xinzhuang Ciyou Temple has a history of more than 300 years, older than Taipei City's Longshan Temple. (Provided by New Taipei City Government)