Tainan Travel

Dehua Hall (德化堂) was built around 1838. After road building in the Japanese Colonial Time and aerial attack in World War II, its scale today has been significantly reduced compared to how it was originally. Dehua Hall is a Zhaijiao Longhua School Temple(齋教龍華派寺廟) which is home Buddhist practice in character, therefore, the layout is similar to that of a traditional house, however, it has the paintings and decorations of a Buddhist temple. As well as enshrining Guanyin Bodhisattva in the main hall, there is a rather special god statue, that of one of the founders of the Longhua School, Luo Zu(龍華派祖師羅祖); three chairs are placed in front of the statue, called the “three lord chairs(三公椅),” symbolizing the three founders of the School Luo Zu, Yin Pu-neng, and Yao Pu-shan; the Hall also has murals done by master painter Pan Li-shui. The most famous of the plaques in the Hall are the Hui Pu Qun Sheng(惠普群生) presented during the 5th year reign of Tungchi Emperor in Qing Dynasty (1866). Ding Ri-jian,of the General Supervisor and Military Commander, and Guan Zi Zai, received during the 7th year reign of Daoguang Emperior in Qing Dynasty (1827). As well ancient scripture scrolls, the Hall also has the precious San Gui Wu Jie Pai and Hu Dao Bang Wen(三皈五戒牌與護道榜文).