石碇姑娘廟, Chinese temple in Stone Maiden Village, Taiwan
Stone Maiden Temple is a Chinese temple in Shiding District featuring a two-story structure with the upper level dedicated to worship and the lower level serving as living quarters for temple caretakers. The building houses memorial tablets honoring unmarried deceased women within its prayer halls and associated spaces.
The temple was built in 1918 to honor Wei Bian, an unmarried woman who died during the Qing Dynasty and whose spirit sought proper veneration through local residents. This foundation reflected how communities responded to spiritual requests by creating new sacred spaces.
The temple serves as a sanctuary for memorial tablets of unmarried deceased women, whom traditional Chinese customs exclude from ancestral halls. This space reflects how local communities created an alternative way to honor and remember people who had no place in conventional family structures.
The temple is located on Dahugo Road in Shiding District and can be accessed by climbing stone steps that lead to the main prayer hall. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and be prepared for some elevation change.
The temple established an unusual lending tradition where visitors can borrow small amounts of money, specifically 20 New Taiwan Dollars, which borrowers must repay through specific ceremonial procedures. This practice blends financial support with spiritual exchange in a way rarely seen elsewhere.
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