藍興庄開基之神

●藍廷珍與藍張興莊
臺中舊稱「大墩」，「墩」的意思是高起的土丘，所指的是大墩街旁的高丘，亦即現在臺中公園中的砲台山。萬春宮媽祖又稱藍興媽或臺中媽，其所在位置位於大墩街中街，是整個大墩街的地理中心，也是信仰中心。根據《萬春宮志》的研究，從藍廷珍恭請媽祖聖像隨船來臺平定朱一貴事件至今，已近三百年，歷史相當悠久。

藍廷珍，字荊璞，福建漳浦人。自幼習武，仕途堪稱平步青雲，初為把總，後因追捕海盜屢建奇功，又得到浙江提督吳陞力挺，加上閩浙總督覺羅滿保保薦，高升澎湖水師副將，隨即又升任南澳總兵。1721年（康熙60年），臺灣爆發朱一貴事件，閩浙總督覺羅滿保令其率兵赴臺平亂，其族弟藍鼎元也隨行。藍鼎元的隨行不但帶給藍廷珍許多幫助，同時也在藍廷珍署理臺灣事務時給了很多建議，影響清廷對臺灣的政策。例如1723年（雍正元年）彰化設縣、建議清廷開放攜眷開放入臺等許多政策，著有《平臺紀略》、《東徵集》、《論臺灣事宜書》，每一本書都深入的紀錄了康雍時期臺灣的面貌，雍正皇帝譽其為「籌臺宗匠」，並任命他為朝廷修史館編纂《大清一統志》。

在出發前往臺灣前，藍廷珍赴湄洲朝天閣，恭請聖母三媽正身登船庇佑軍隊平安渡過黑水溝。他在澎湖與水師提督施世驃會合時，勸阻其只問罪於起事者，不濫殺無辜，表示：「群盜皆烏合不足憂，惟脅從至三十萬，不可勝誅，請馳檄殲巨魁，餘勿問，則人人有生之樂，無死之心，可不血刃平也。」施世驃從之，大軍在登岸後，攻下安平及臺灣府城，接著在半個月內平定整個事件，也讓許多反抗民眾得以逃過劫難。

在平亂期間，藍廷珍將迎來的媽祖聖像暫奉於臺灣府城媽祖廟（今臺南大天后宮），今日臺南大天后宮所懸掛的「神昭海表」匾，就是1725年（雍正3年）藍廷珍上書奏請皇帝賜匾以褒揚媽祖助軍平亂。

平定朱一貴事件後，藍廷珍被改詔為臺灣鎮總兵，負責臺灣防務。他在巡視臺灣守備防務時，發現大肚溪以北的貓霧拺擁有許多沃土，於是取得官方許可，由藍家前來開墾，與前臺灣北路營參將張國之子張嗣徽在此拓墾，稱為「藍張興莊」。1723年（雍正元年），藍廷珍將供奉在臺南大天后宮的媽祖聖像恭迎至大墩街，創建「藍興宮」。藍興宮建立初期屬於藍家官廟，但1786年（乾隆51年）爆發林爽文事件，藍興宮遭到嚴重毀壞，由地方人士出資修復，改稱「藍興萬春宮」，跟民間社會的關係更加密切。1806年（嘉慶11年），彰化接連發生大地震，藍興萬春宮雖然廟體受損不嚴重，但風雨侵蝕更加嚴重，地方仕紳監生鄭卿雲、林開梅等人於是發起募款新築廟庭，延聘泉州匠師，重新建築一座宏偉的新廟，1823年（道光3年）完成，並正式改稱「萬春宮」。


這座新蓋成的萬春宮其規模非常龐大，有完整的廟宇規制，範圍大致從今日的位置向西南延伸到臺灣大道，正殿約在今日廟庭前的成功路上，虎邊為平等路與成功路的交叉口上，龍邊在成功路上，並連著幾間店家，廟前有廟埕，山門約在平等街與臺灣大道交叉口的東南邊。

●消失的萬春宮
乙未割臺後，日本殖民政府對於臺灣的衛生環境相當頭痛，因此平定全臺的反抗勢力以後，針對環境問題積極進行整頓，諸如修建設置下水道，或是將髒亂分散的市集集中至市場；加上臺中市區被選為中部的政經中心，因此由巴爾頓（W.K. Barton）及總督府技師濱野彌四郎提出「臺中市街區化設計報告書」與「臺中市區新設」兩案，將臺中市區以棋盤格的模式重新規劃，展現出今日臺中市區的樣貌。

1896年（明治29年），日本本願寺佔領萬春宮，改為中尊寺。1900年（明治33年），萬春宮被充為公學校女子部，為臺中女子現代教育的濫觴。同年開始第一次市街改正，萬春宮的部分建築被拆除規劃為排水溝渠與街道。1911年（明治44年）進行第二次市街改正，這是調整規模最大的一次，拆除大墩街上的許多民宅，劃出棋盤格式的筆直馬路。而橫跨在大墩街上最精華且熱鬧地段的萬春宮，不但占地寬廣，且因位於計畫道路的交叉口上，難逃被拆除的命運。

萬春宮被拆除以後，只剩下後殿的角落空間，信眾將部分拆除後留下來的建材放回原址，在大約今日拜亭的位置建立一間暫時的宮廟。因為這樣的樣式很像路邊的一間店面，因此有一段時間萬春宮被稱為「媽祖店」，媽祖被稱為是「店頭媽」。到了皇民化時期，萬春宮媽祖甚至是由附近店家輪流奉祀。

●臺中市區與七媽會
1917年（大正6年），臺中區區長林耀亭，為了振興市街改正後蕭條的臺中市街景，活絡商業、振興經濟，因此邀請了當時中部七間重要的媽祖廟，除了主辦單位萬春宮之外，又邀請旱溪樂成宮、梧棲朝元宮、鹿港天后宮、彰化南瑤宮、北港朝天宮、南港（新港）奉天宮等宮廟共襄盛舉，6月6日各間宮廟的媽祖聖像從各地搭車到烏日車站，齊聚在林耀亭位於現今臺中市南區「樹仔腳」（樹德里）的居所，隔天迎至新富町的臨時行宮。為了迎接盛會，苗栗到二水的火車票九折優惠，臺中火車站加開兩個剪票口，並規劃了接待處，設置臨時郵局提供加蓋紀念郵戳，也架設電話亭。連續四十天的活動，為臺中的經濟帶來的一股新力量。百年後的2017年，臺中市也再度舉辦了百年盛會，雖然只有六間宮廟赴會，但還是吸引許多信眾參與。
二戰結束後，由地方仕紳林坤、林景焜等人發起組織「萬春宮廟宇重建委員會」，著手規劃重建萬春宮；1947年（民國36年）完成大殿重建，但因經費募集不易，1958年（民國47年）才完成拜殿整修，由大木匠師胡賢總攬策劃，尤其是技術高超的藻井結構，搭配蘇海萍的細緻雕刻，至今仍是廟裡相當經典木造建築。1971年（民國60年）重修「天后閣」牌樓，1975年（民國64年）才大致完工，呈現現在的廟貌。

雖然萬春宮今日廟體是二戰後重修的樣貌，但廟裡道光年間泉州白石刻的龍柱、「萬春宮廟產諭示碑」以及案頭上的石香爐，咸豐年間的古鐘，光緒皇帝御賜的「海晏河清」匾，以及張木成的龍柱雕刻，均為萬春宮悠久的歷史作見證。廟埕兩尊青斗石所雕刻的石獅子，戴著斗笠展現出可愛的模樣，近年來也成為萬春宮的特色風貌。(2,000字完整版)


The First God of Lanxing Manor

●Lan Ting-zhen and Lan-Zhang Xing Village
Taichung was formerly known as Dadun. “Dun” means “raised mound” and refers to the hill next to Dadun Street. The mound is now Fortress Hill, which is located inside Taichung Park. Wanchuan Temple Mazu is also known as Lanxing Mazu or Taichung Mazu. The temple is located in the middle section of Dadun Street and is both the geographic and religious center of Dadun Street. More than 300 years have passed since Lan Ting-zhen escorted Mazu's statue on its passage to Taiwan upon his ship and successfully quelled the Zhu Yi-gui uprising.

Lan Ting-zhen, courtesy name Jingpu, was born in Zhangpu, Fujian. He began practicing martial arts in his childhood and exhibited quite a meteoric career, starting out as a bazong, a junior officer in the Qing army. He was later so successful in hunting down pirates that he received recommendations from both Wu Sheng, commander-in-chief of the Zhejiang navy, and Jue Luo Man-bao, Governor-General of Min-Zhe. Thereafter, he was made a colonel of the Penghu Navy and was almost immediately promoted to zongbing, the second highest ranking officer, of Nan'ao General Headquarters. In the 60th year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign (1721), the Zhui Yi-gui Rebellion erupted in Taiwan. Jue Luo-man, Viceroy of Min-Zhe, ordered Lan to lead troops to Taiwan to quash the rebellion. Lan's cousin Lan Ding-yuan also accompanied him on this mission. Lan Ding-yuan's presence was a great help to Lan Ting-zhen not only during the uprising the former also made many suggestions for handling administrative affairs in Taiwan and exerted great influence over the Qing government's policies towards Taiwan. For example, he suggested that the Qing government make Chuanghua into a county (accomplished in the 1st year of Emperor Yongzheng's reign (1723)) and open Taiwan's doors to the dependents of existing residents, etc. Lan Ding-yuan also wrote a number of books on the many faces of Taiwan during the reigns of Emperors Kangxi and Yongzheng, including A Synopsis of Governing Taiwan, Collection on the Campaign to the East and Discourse on Issues Pertaining to Taiwan. He was praised for his work by the Emperor Yongzheng as the Great Strategist of Taiwan, and was appointed to compile the Comprehensive Geography of the Great Qing Dynasty on behalf of the imperial court.

Before departing for Taiwan, Lan Ting-zhen visited Chaotian Pavilion of the Meizhou Mazu Temple and invited Mazu's third statue (while all statues represent the same deity, the order in which the statues were made define their different roles) aboard his ship to bless his army with safe passage across the Taiwan Strait. When he rendezvoused with Admiral Shi Shi-biao in Penghu, Lan persuaded the Admiral to only punish those directly responsible for the uprising and spare innocent civilians, saying “The bandits have merely been rallied into a mob and are little cause for concern. The three hundred thousand followers who have been coerced to join are too large a number to obliterate therefore slay only the masterminds of the revolt and show leniency to the masses. They shall then rejoice in life and seek death no more, and you shall have suppressed the rebellion without bloodying your sword.”
Shi heeded this advice and the army successfully captured Anping and Tainan after its landing. The rebellion was quelled within two weeks and the lives of many uprising civilians were spared.

During the rebellion, Lan temporarily placed Mazu's statue in Tainan's Mazu Temple (now Tainan's Grand Mazu Temple). The “shen zhao hai biao” (meaning Mazu's light shines even overseas) plaque, which hangs today in the Grand Mazu Temple, was the result of Lan's petition to Emperor Yongzheng to praise Mazu's support in suppressing the rebellion in the 3rd year of his reign (1725).

After quashing the Zhu Yi-gui rebellion, Lan was promoted to Garrison Commander of Taiwan, Fujian, and put in charge of Taiwan's defense. While patrolling Taiwan he discovered that the land in Babusa, north of Dadu River, was extremely fertile. Lan therefore led his family and Zhang Si-hui there to develop the land and founded Lan-Zhang Xing Village. In the first year of Yongzheng's reign, Lan moved Mazu's statue from Tainan's Grand Mazu Temple and welcomed her to Dadun Street where he had founded Lanxing Temple to enshrine her statue. When first erected, Lanxing Temple was a guanmiao, or official temple (temples erected by a court official), belonging to the Lan family. In the 51st year of Qianlong's reign, however, the Lin Shuangwen Rebellion broke out and Lanxing Temple was severely damaged. Local residents funded repairs and the temple was renamed the Lanxing Wanchun Temple the temple was thereafter much more frequently visited by all members of society. In the 11th year of Jiaqing's reign (1806), a series of earthquakes struck the Changhua region. Although the temple's buildings were not badly damaged, the storm caused serious erosion of the land. Two members of the local gentry and literati, Zheng Qing-yun and Lin Kai-mei, started fundraising to build a new courtyard for the temple. They were able to rebuild the building as well by hiring craftsmen from Quanzhou. The new, more magnificent temple was completed in the 3rd year of Emperor Daoguang's reign (1823) and was officially renamed Wanchun Temple.

The newly built Wanchun Temple had a large and complete temple layout. The perimeter extends southwest from today's location to Taiwan Boulevard. The main shrine hall was located approximately on Chenggong Road which now borders the front side of the temple's courtyard. Facing the temple, the left side is the intersection of Pingdeng Street and Chenggong Road to the right is Chenggong Road and several stores. At the front of the temple is the temple courtyard. The shanmen (“three liberations gate”) is near the southeast corner of the intersection of Pingdeng Street and Taiwan Boulevard.

●Wanchun Temple Demolished
After the Japanese invasion and takeover of Taiwan, the island's sanitary environment gave the Japanese colonial government quite a headache. After suppressing opposition forces and stabilizing their control over Taiwan, the authorities started to rectify these problems by building sewers or centralizing dirty, disorganized markets which had once been scattered all across the city. Since Taichung had been chosen as the economic and political center of the island’s central region, W. K. Barton and Hamano Mishiro, an engineer in the office of the governor-general, proposed the Taichung City Neighborhood Planning Report and the Establishing New Areas in Taichung Plan in which they suggested that the city of Taichung be re-planned according to a chessboard-like pattern. This was how Taichung’s urban areas of the present day were engendered.

In Meiji 29 (1896), Japan's Hongan-ji occupied Wanchun Temple and turned it into Chuson-ji. In Meiji 33 (1900), Wanchun Temple was once more repurposed and turned into the girl's section of a kougakko, or elementary school, for Taiwanese and Taiwanese indigenous students. The school marked the beginning of modern education for women in Taichung. In the same year, the first-stage renovation of street blocks began. Some buildings within the premises of Wanchun Temple were demolished drainage ditches and streets were planned. Meiji 44 (1911) saw the second and largest urban restructuring of Taichung. Many houses on Dadun Street were demolished while perfectly straight streets criss-crossed in a chessboard format. Wanchung Temple was located at the heart of Dadun Street right where residents and activity were most lively. It not only took up space but was also located on a planned intersection and was therefore unable to escape the fate of demolition.


Only a corner of the rear hall survived the demolition. Worshippers returned the building materials left from the demolition to the original site and set up a temporary temple where the prayer pavilion is located today. Since the building style resembled a roadside storefront, for a time Wanchun Temple was referred to as the “Mazu store” and Mazu herself as “Shopkeeper Mazu.” During Japanization, the statue of Mazu even came to be enshrined in different stores in the neighborhood.

●Taichung City and the Seven Mazu Gathering
In Taisho 6 (1917), in order to rejuvenate and revitalize Taichung's sluggish businesses (which had been impacted by urban restructuring), Taichung district chief Lin Yao-ting invited the seven major Mazu temples in the central region to participate in a collaborative event. In addition to Wanchun Temple, the organizers, Lin invited Hanxi's Leh Cherng Temple, Wuxi's Chaoyuan Temple, Lugang's Mazu Temple, Changhua's Nanyao Temple, Beigang's Chaotian Temple and Nangang's (Xingang) Fengtian Temple to join in the festivities. On June 6, Mazu statues from the various temples gathered at Lin's residence in Shuzijiao. The next day, they were welcomed into their temporary temple located in Xinfucho. In celebration of the event, train tickets from Miaoli to Ershui could be purchased at a 10% discount and Taichung Railway Station opened two additional ticket gates and a reception room. A temporary post office was also set up, offering commemorative postmarks, along with telephone booths. Forty days of festivities breathed new life into Taichung's economy. A century later in 2017, Taichung City once again hosted a great festival. Although only six temples participated, crowds of worshippers still came to pay their respects.


After the end of World War II, two members of the local gentry, Lin Kun and Lin Jing-tao, launched the Wanchung Temple Reconstruction Committee and proceeded to plan reconstruction of the temple. Reconstruction of the main hall was completed in the 36th year of the Republic of China (1947) but funds were hard to come by and the worship hall was not completed until the 47th year (1958). Work on the worship hall had been planned and executed by master carpenter Hu Xian. The caisson ceiling and Su Hai-ping's exquisite carvings meant that they are a classic example of skillfully made wooden structures. In the 60th year of the Republic (1971), the Tianhou Court archway was rebuilt renovations were completed in the 64th year (1975), bringing it to its current state.

Although the temple buildings seen today were rebuilt after the war, the dragon pillars carved from Quanzhou granite during the reign of Emperor Daoguang, the Wanchuan Temple plaque and the stone incense burner on the desk, the old bell created during the reign of Emperor Xianfeng, the “hai yan he qian” plaque bestowed upon the temple by Emperor Guangxu, and Zhang Mu-cheng's dragon pillars are all historical witnesses to Wanchun Temple's long, profound history. The two stone lions carved from basalt at the entrance of the temple have conical hats on their heads. Their endearing appearance have made them a much-loved feature of Wanchung Temple in recent years.