Go down the Liming Rd. and ride ride north to the crossroads with Chungching Rd. and go south along the road to the crossroads with Houchuang Rd. and turn left. Go along Houchang Rd. and the temple is located at the crossroads with Changping Rd.
Wenchang Temple in Peitun was built in 1871. There was a scholar "Yuy-Yin, Tseng" (曾玉音) found the value of studying and discussing was not popular and promoted with people in this area, so he invited many scholars to set the "Wenwei Workshop" (文蔚社) for those scholars to discuss and study knowledge. Meanwhile, there are some other scholars set "Wenping Workshop" (文炳社) as a private school (私塾) to teach students manners, knowledge, literature, and music. The two workshop donated money to build the Wenchang Temple for promoting the climate of studying. It is the original of the Wenchang Temple in Peitun.
When I get into the gate, various kinds of flowers, bushes and trees line along on the two sides of the path. It's unlike in other temples which is crowded and noisy.
The atmosphere in this temple is very quiet, smooth and tender.
The decorations and patterns on the wall and the roof are arranged in a proper order, which is very simple but concordant.
There is a small reading room on the left side of the temple which was provoded for students in many hundred years ago. In the 137 years old Wenchang Temple, it seems that the sound of studying is still haunted in the corridor.
The scale of Wenchang Temple is not very large and its decorations have faded with the passing time. But it's still an important historic spot in Taichung City, preserving the tradition, industrious spirit, and special features of the culture. Unlike other temples, it was an educational institution before.
Before every large-scale entrence examination, there are thousands of examinees visiting the temple to ask Wenchang for blessing good grades.
Whenever I visit a temple, I always donate my piety as well as my money to the God, and I buy a set of "Pineapple-shaped candle" as a donation for Wenchang, and I hope Wenchang will help me pass all the test very well.
The ways and processes of worshipping Wehchang:
Generally, offerings for Wenchang are uncooked vegetable. which has various kinds of positive symbols.
For good luck: pineapples(鳳梨) mean the coming luckiness(旺旺來), and radishes(白蘿蔔) mean good fortune(好彩頭).
For smartness: green onions(蔥) mean intelligence(聰明).
For good calculating skills: garlics(蒜) mean great calculating skills(會算).
For good grades: steamed breads(包子) and Chinese dumplings, jiaozis(粽子) mean being admitted by your ideal school(包中).
For industrious practicing: celery(芹菜) mean diligence(勤), and oil(油) means making an extra effort(加油).
For smooth fortune: bamboo shoots(竹筍) mean success(順利).
For good grades: steamed sponge cakes(發粿) mean good grades(考運發)
Notes:
Be sure to eat these offerings which were blessed by Wenchang and you will be blessed as well.
Alarm:
Green onions(蔥), garlics(蒜) celery(芹菜) can't be cooked with "round shape ingrediences"(圓型的食材)or however you will be "failed"(完蛋)
Attention:
Burning paper "money foe Wenchang"(狀元金) and you have to say:"弟子某某某,誠心奉請文昌帝君降臨,準備...(供品),以及狀元金,金紙等供奉,望燒化狀元金後,文昌帝君保佑弟子智慧大開,過目不忘,考運亨通", and you can finish the processes of worshipping Wenchang.
Best Wishes
