In 1926, Lukang Tianhou Temple was rebuilt again. This time, the main hall and Sanchuan Hall were basically demolished and rebuilt. Only the back hall was not rebuilt, and it was still the Lingxiao Temple dedicated to the Jade Emperor. Treasure Palace.
The renovation started from the main hall, which is a mountain-style building with double eaves and a three-bay width. The imperial stone in the middle of the front of the main hall is carved with peonies and phoenixes, and the exposed railings on both sides have lotus shapes, all made of blue Dou Shi.
At the front entrance of the main hall, there is a wooden frame building in the shape of a shed, which is used as a space for worship. There are two arches on both sides connecting the left and right corridors. In the corridors, there are worshippers. The Lord of the Realm and the Empress Zhusheng.
The stone carvings in the main hall are based on flowers and birds and stories from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. They are carved using the deep relief technique of inner branches and outer leaves. The contents include: "Empty City Strategy", "Bitter Meat Strategy", "Zhang Song Presents Shu Picture" " and " Ma Chao fights Xu Chu" and so on. In addition, the stone carvings on both sides are "Bogu Flowers". The exquisite carvings show the craftsmanship of the stone carvers.
Most of the wood carvings on the trusses in the main hall were made by Chaozhou and Quanzhou craftsmen. The trusses above the four-point golden pillars have three links and five melons. In order to make the roof of the main hall higher, it is located on the through The lower part of the beam is designed in the form of stacked archways to increase the height, which also serves the purpose of structural mechanics. This practice can be seen in Hanxi Lecheng Palace, Changhua Nanyao Palace, Changhua Yuanqing Temple and other temples.
The shrine in the main hall was also made by a woodcarving master from Quanzhou. At that time, craftsmen from Wenzhou, Chaozhou and Lukang were also involved. The shape of the shrine is like a temple, with magnificent carvings. Dougong protrudes from the eaves and hangs beads. There is a plaque with "Our Lady of Meizhou" written directly above the shrine. The dragon pillar in front is carved and decorated with figures of the Eight Immortals. The whole shrine looks more solemn and solemn.
Above the shrine are the plaques of "Shen Zhaohai Biao" granted by Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty, "Yu Ji Zhaoling" granted by Emperor Qianlong and "Tong Gong Gong with Heaven" granted by Emperor Guangxu. In the center of the plaque is the emperor's seal.
The plaque "Blessing Zhaoling" was originally owned by the Mazu Temple built by the Lukang government. Later, Chen Peixu, the mayor of Lukang at the time, asked someone to send the plaque for repairs and then hung it in the main hall of Tianhou Palace in Lukang.
In the main shrine, the largest statue of Mazu was newly sculpted during the renovation of Thean Hou Temple. This statue of Mazu is made of clay and is the "Mazu in charge of the palace" of Thean Hou Temple. It is said that the clay statue of Mazu in the main hall of Thean Hou Temple in Lukang and the statue in the main hall of Thean Hou Temple in Tainan are the works of the same school of craftsmen.
On both sides of the main hall of Tin Hau Temple in Lukang, there are two sets of statues of the clairvoyant and wind-eared gods. They are located in front of the shrine in the main hall and next to the arches on both sides of the front entrance. The clairvoyant is holding a halberd in his hand, and his eyes can see the four directions; his ears that follow the wind are holding an ax and ax, and his ears can listen to all directions.
The shape of their green faces and fangs has the meaning of driving away evil spirits. The posture and charm of this clairvoyant and wind-eared statue are extremely elegant, making it a classic work of statue carving.
The Mazu in Tianhou Temple in Lukang is not only a prominent deity and prosperous incense, but also famous for its age and grand scale. The precious historical materials and religious relics displayed in the temple are even more astonishing to people at home and abroad.
For example, the imperial plaques written by the former Qing emperors, plaques dedicated by civil and military officials, ancient inscriptions, and the "Great Spirit Talisman" and "Mother's Seal" presented to the palace by the ancestral temple are all unique cultural relics in Taiwan.
In addition, there are three pairs of dragon pillar stone carvings in Lukang Tianhou Temple, located in the Sanchuan Hall, the main hall and the back hall.
The dragon pillar carvings in the Sanchuan Hall are in the shape of a single dragon panning pillar with many hollow carvings and four claws holding beads. The pillars are decorated with shrimps, crabs, fish, squid, eight immortals and figures on the list of gods. .
The dragon columns are stacked in layers, with inner branches and outer leaves, and are ornately carved. To prevent the dragon columns from being damaged by climbing, the temple installed iron cages outside the columns to protect the delicate carvings.
This pair of dragon pillars are carved in blue stone and have an octagonal body. The pillar length is 2.5 meters and the diameter is 36 centimeters. They were dedicated to the Shuzijiao Lin family in Taichung City.
The shape, material, carving, and decoration of the dragon pillars in the main hall are similar to those of the Sanchuan Hall, and they all come from the same stone carving method.
The shape of the dragon column is a single dragon coiled column. The mouth of the dragon is in the shape of a figure eight. The four claws hold beads and support the chin. The dragon column is decorated with Laozi, figures on the list of gods, war horses, etc.
The body of this dragon pillar is octagonal and about 2.8 meters long. The pillar beads are carved in blue stone and are decorated with fish, shrimps, turtles, crabs and other aquatic animals as well as eight horses.
The dragon column in the apse is a single dragon coiled column with five claws holding beads, holding beads in the mouth and exposing two upper front teeth. The column is about 2.7 meters long and 32 centimeters in diameter. In addition to cloud patterns and rocks, the back of the stone pillar is carved with four auspicious animals such as phoenix, phoenix, unicorn and lin. Based on the shape and construction method of the dragon pillar, this dragon pillar should be a work during the Xianfeng period.
Very few dragon pillars in Taiwan have five-clawed shapes. The back hall of Tianhou Palace in Lukang is dedicated to the Jade Emperor, who has a supreme status in folk belief, so the dragon pillars are made of five-clawed dragon pillars. modeling.
There is a pair of special flower and bird pillars at the back entrance of Sanchuan Hall. There are dozens of magpies flying on the branches of this pair of flower and bird pillars, decorated with peonies symbolizing wealth. Each pillar has a phoenix shape, giving the impression of "the birds and birds singing in harmony, and a hundred flowers blooming in full bloom". The pillar beads of the flower and bird pillar are carved in blue stone, and are decorated with shapes such as shrimps, crabs, unicorns, flowers and birds, etc.