Beiji Temple 北極殿 

Founded in 1665, Beiji Temple is the oldest official temple to the god known as “Emperor of Mysterious Heaven” or Syuanwu in Tainan City. Beiji Temple stands on “Vulture Hill”, the highest place in old Tainan city three and a half centuries ago. At the time of the Dutch colonization (1624-1662) of the southern coastal areas, the site was home to a clinic; and Koxinga (The colonization started from 1662 to 1683) used it as a medical station during his siege on the nearby Fort Zeelandia. After the Dutch surrender, Koxinga decreed the building should be converted into a temple to the Emperor of Mysterious Heaven, and it was completed in 1665. One of the statues of Syuanwu (the principle deity to whom the Beiji Temple dedicated) enshrined in the temple was brought by Koxinga from China. In 1836, the temple was rebuilt to enshrine Guanyin, and in 1856 the temple was again rebuilt with help from the local gentry. It was then renamed “Beiji Temple” (meaning “North Pole Temple” in Mandarin) and has been listed as a historic site of the highest category in Taiwan.

建置於西元1665年的北極殿，為臺南府城最早祭祀玄天上帝的官廟。北極殿座落於早期府城台地最高處─鷲嶺地區。在當時荷蘭殖民時期，此處為治療病人的診所；據傳鄭成功包圍熱蘭遮城(今安平古堡)時，亦把此處做為醫療急救站。歷經荷蘭政府投降後，鄭成功下令將此處改建為廟宇並將自己從中國帶來的玄武神像­­­­作為主神祭祀。西元1836年，在重新整修廟宇建築後，廟方另行供奉觀音菩薩神像；並於西元1856年，在地方仕紳的幫助下，再次整建並正名為「北極殿」，現為國定古蹟。

Temple Layout 廟宇內部設計

The temple is flanked by an entrance gate on the right and an exit gate on the left. The central gate is reserved for deities and emperors and may not be entered by mortals. The gates open onto the yard and the prayer pavilion where devotees pray to heaven and the god of the North. Next to the prayer pavilion is the main hall, where the god of the North is enshrined. Behind the main hall, other deities are enshrined in rear palace and other rooms.

廟宇右側為入口，左側為出口；而廟宇正門通道則被認為唯有神祇及古代帝皇才能使用。廟門後為中庭，中庭內為拜亭；拜亭之內為正殿，供奉著主神─玄天上帝。在正殿的後方是後殿及側廳，同時也供奉著其它神衹。

The temple houses many statues of the god, the largest being six feet tall and dating back to the Qing dynasty. In front of this is the smaller statue brought by Koxinga from China in 1661.                              北極殿供奉著許多神像，而最大的神像為六呎高的玄天上帝金身，其歷史可追朔至清朝；而在此神像前，其尺寸較小的神像則為西元1661年鄭成功自中國帶來的玄天上帝金身。

Other temples tend to have red pillars decorated with dragons, but the pillars in Beiji Temple are unique for their black coloring, representing the North. The flags and central gate are also all in black.

有別於其它廟宇的紅色漆柱，以龍的雕刻為裝飾，北極殿的漆柱、旗幟及本殿大門皆以黑色漆料上色，據中國五行學說，黑色代表著玄武形象。

There is a tablet hanged on the beam, with the inscription “Wei Lin He Yi”, indicated that ‘The almighty divine power of Syuanwu always awes and amazes the folks’. This inscription was made by Prince Ningjing during Ming dynasty. Besides, while you walk around in the temple, don’t miss the paintings that were designed by Tainan’s prestigious artist, Pan Li-shui.

此外，廟內懸有懸有珍貴明代傳世「威靈赫奕」古匾乃寧靖王敬書真跡以及府城名匠潘麗水的彩繪，值得您細細品味欣賞。

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