Introduction to the Floating Umbrella Temple: The Floating Umbrella Temple enshrines the local deity Madame Ma. The Floating Umbrella Temple was built during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (1512-1566) and was renovated four times in the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. The top of the mountain has double eaves, raised wing corners, red lacquered columns and beams, and ink-painted murals. The plaque on the attic reads "A Transcendent View", which is the handwriting of Liu Jingyuan, a student studying in Japan in the late Qing Dynasty and one of the "Seven Sons of Jingning". It is still well preserved. According to the inscription of Li Yangbing (Li Bai's clan uncle), a famous calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty and former magistrate of Jinyun County, Mrs. Ma was a poor weaver in the Cormorant Village of Jingning in the early Tang Dynasty. She was very filial and once took soup from Jingning to feed her mother-in-law. When passing through Dajun, the flood was surging and there was no way to cross it, so he took out one of his umbrellas and placed it on the river. He used the umbrella instead of a boat to cross the river. He was regarded as the "Xianxian of Filial Piety" by future generations. Madam Ma's belief is an ancient local god belief in southwestern Zhejiang. The belief cultural circle covers Lishui, most areas of Wenzhou, Songxi, Fujian and other places. There are many legends about Ma's Immortal, which are widely circulated. There are many temples dedicated to Ma's Immortal in various places, but most of them use his soup to feed his mother-in-law and build a floating umbrella temple. After Mrs. Ma became an immortal, her husband Lu Xianggong had already practiced martial arts and joined the army and served as a deputy vanguard. She helped her Xianggong resist foreign enemies and was named the Protector's Lady. Qiu Jin's younger brother Qiu Zongzhang once came to Dajun. When visiting the Floating Umbrella Temple, he visited the traces of the immortal aunt. He once left a poem: "Listen to the rapid waves on the foreshore in the distance, and the light boat can sail steadily to return; Thousands of rocks and ravines compete to welcome you. Guest, I came up from the mountain valley."

Leave a Reply