Sanping and Qingshui Patriarchs (三平祖師／清水祖師)

The Patriarchs Who Crossed the Taiwan Strait

Among the many deities brought to Taiwan by immigrants from southern Fujian, Sanping Patriarch (三平祖師) occupies a distinctive place. Known in life as the Tang dynasty monk Yang Yizhong (義中禪師, 781–872), he founded Sanping Temple (三平寺) in present-day Pinghe County, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China. Renowned for his compassion, healing, and miraculous powers, he became one of the most revered Buddhist patriarchs in southern Fujian after his death.

As settlers from Zhangzhou China migrated across the Taiwan Strait during the Qing dynasty, they carried with them not only their possessions but also the protective deities of their home villages. According to the historical inscription at Shewei Yongan Temple (社尾永安寺), immigrants from the vicinity of Sanping Temple brought the image of Sanping Patriarch to Yilan, believing he would continue to protect them during the dangerous sea voyage and throughout the hardships of frontier settlement.

Sanping Patriarch and attendant deity figures on the temple altar
Sanping Patriarch and attendant figures on the altar.

The temple records further explain that another group of settlers from Anxi County brought Qingshui Patriarch (清水祖師), resulting in the rare combination of two important Fujian patriarch cults within a single temple. This dual dedication reflects the merging of different immigrant communities into one village while preserving the spiritual traditions of their ancestral homes.

Black-faced seated deity figure in gold robes before a larger altar image
A black-faced deity figure seated before the principal altar image.

The inscription also recounts that during the Qing dynasty the area suffered a devastating locust plague. After the villagers appealed to Sanping Patriarch, the infestation was believed to have subsided, strengthening local faith in his miraculous protection. Local families subsequently donated land, funds, and labour to establish a permanent temple, originally known as Sanfo Temple (三佛宮). Following World War II, the temple was renamed Yongan Temple (永安寺), where Sanping Patriarch continues to be worshipped today alongside Qingshui Patriarch.

Black-faced warrior deity figure holding a sword on a carved pedestal
A black-faced warrior figure displayed on the temple altar.

Today, Shewei Yongan Temple is believed to be the only temple in Yilan County where Sanping Patriarch is one of the principal deities, preserving a religious tradition that can be directly traced to the historic Sanping Temple in Pinghe, Fujian China. Its inscriptions provide a valuable historical record linking immigration, village settlement, and the transplantation of southern Fujian folk religion to the Yilan Plain, making it one of the most significant surviving examples of Sanping Patriarch worship in northeastern Taiwan.