When it comes to Yilan's temples, many people first think of the grand festivals in Luodong Town or the thriving incense at Xie'an Temple in Jiaoxi. However, if we shift our perspective from "the homes of the gods" to "stories of people and the land," Yilan's temples reveal another dimension—they sit in the midst of rice paddies, by streams, at the foot of hills, forming an inseparable symbiotic relationship with the farming life of the Lanyang Plain. This perspective may be the most authentic way to understand Yilan's temples.
The greatest difference between Yilan's temples and those on the Western Taiwan plain lies in their inability to exist independently from the natural environment. The Lanyang Plain is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the sea on one. Streams rush down from the valleys, forming flooding alluvial plains before reaching the sea. In the long years of battling floods, ancestors built embankments and dug irrigation canals, and virtually every important water control node is guarded by a temple. Here, temples are not merely centers of faith but also focal points for water management communities.
Erjie Wang Gong Temple is an excellent starting point for understanding this relationship. This temple, located in Erjie Village, Wujie Township, primarily venerates the Earth God and Wang Gong, and is believed to have been built during the Qing Dynasty. The temple is small, but the annual "walking over fire" ceremony is a major local event. Residents pile firewood in the square in front of the temple, light it, and allow devotees to walk barefoot over the burning coals—a tradition for seeking blessings from Wang Gong and symbolizing the warding off of misfortune. What deserves mention is that Erjie Wang Gong Temple is still surrounded by vast rice paddies. During the harvest season, golden grain heads sway right in front of the temple courtyard, with the Snow Mountain range as the backdrop—a scene not commonly seen among Taiwanese temples.
Moving toward the coast, the story of Toucheng Qing Tian Gong is even more interesting. This Mazu temple was built during the Jiaqing period and is inseparable from the development history of Toucheng's old street. Toucheng was once the most important port in Yilan. The building materials, tea, and cloth unloaded there sustained the entire town. The incense at Qing Tian Gong was originally developed through the joint devotion of port workers and merchants. Walking into the temple, one can notice the intricate wood carvings on the beams and pillars, depicting the bustling scene of Toucheng Port during the Qing Dynasty—these are not the typical dragons, phoenixes, and unicorns seen in most temples, but precise local historical memories. Currently, Qing Tian Gong is free to visit and open year-round, though it is recommended to avoid the major festival days in the seventh lunar month, when crowds are at their largest.
If one were to choose "the temple that least resembles a temple," Yuanshan Township's Hui Ji Gong is worth mentioning. This Guanyin temple was built during the Jiaqing period and is not particularly special in itself, but its environment is extremely unique—located on the shore of Wanglong Pond. Wanglong Pond is a natural lake surrounded by mountains on three sides, its lake surface reflecting the surrounding tea gardens and fruit orchards. The courtyard of Hui Ji Gong faces the lake itself, and during summer, locals often fish and row boats here, creating a natural blend of temple and leisure life. This "lakefront temple" configuration is uncommon on Taiwan's main island.
Finally, Jiaoxi Xi Tian Gong cannot be left unmentioned. This is one of Yilan's most famous temples, venerating the Guan Saint Emperor. Xi Tian Gong was built during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty and has a history of over two hundred years. Its incense has spread throughout Taiwan and even overseas. Many people come specifically to soak in Jiaoxi's hot springs and then make a side visit to the temple, but Xi Tian Gong's architectural and artistic value is also worth examining in detail—the mosaic and stone carvings inside the temple were crafted by Yilan's master craftsmen, with vivid expressions and flowing garment lines that rival the works of renowned craftsmen from the north. Xi Tian Gong is open year-round with no admission fee, but the turtle-petitioning activity during the first lunar month and the Guan Di Festival in the seventh month are the most grand religious celebrations in the area, with traffic control implemented on surrounding roads.
Practical information方面，上述四座廟宇均無門票收費，停車方便但假日一位難求。開車自駕是最彈性的方式，從臺北走國道五號約一小時可抵達礁溪、頭城一帶；搭乘臺鐵到羅東或宜蘭站再轉乘公車也能到達大部分景點。住宿可選擇礁溪溫泉飯店或羅東市區民宿，建議安排兩天一夜，把廟宇參訪結合田園體驗。
Practical information, the above four temples all have no admission fees. Parking is convenient but scarce on holidays. Driving oneself is the most flexible option—taking National Highway 5 from Taipei takes about an hour to reach the Jiaoxi and Toucheng areas. Taking the Taiwan Railway to Luodong or Yilan Station and then transferring to a bus can also reach most attractions. Accommodation can be chosen from Jiaoxi hot spring hotels or Luodong city guesthouses. It is recommended to plan for two days and one night, combining temple visits with the rural experience.
小提示：宜蘭的廟宇參訪，建議別只盯著正殿的神明看。多注意廟埕外的環境——田裡的水稻、溪邊的堤防、港口的船隻，這些看似尋常的風景，其實都是理解宜蘭信仰文化的重要線索。
Tip: When visiting Yilan's temples, it is recommended not to fix your gaze only on the deities in the main hall. Pay more attention to the environment outside the temple courtyard—the rice in the fields, the embankments by the streams, the ships in the port. These seemingly ordinary scenery are actually important clues for understanding Yilan's religious culture.
