Master Ching-shui is the guardian patron of An-hsi, Fuchien.　There are different versions concerning his life. 

　　One version is that he was born during Jen-Tsung period in North Sung dynasty.　His name was Chen Chao-ying and he was from Yung-chun province, Fuchien. He became a monk at a very young age and was given the name Pu-tsu. During his lifetime, he built bridges and prayed for rain for many villages.　He was much revered by the villagers for his kind deeds.　He lived in Ching-shui Yen at Peng-lai Monutain.　When he passed away, the villagers built a pagoda and his sculpture to worship him and they gave him the title of Master of Charity and Benevolence. 

　　Another version says that he was from Kai-feng in the South Sung dynasty.　He was a follower of Wen Tien-hsiang, a Sung patriot who tried to overthrow the Yuan rulers. Later, Emperor Tai-tsung of the Ming dynasty awarded him the honorary title of the “Defender of the Nation” and ordered that a temple be built to worship him in the area where he used to live – Ching-shui Yen in An-hsi, Fuchien. That is why the people in An-hsi refer to him respectfully as the Master and the temple is named “Master Temple.”

　　The Master Ching-shui worshipped at the Sanshia Master Temple is also called “Master Ma-chang” or “Wu Mien Tsu-shih (Dark-faced Master)” in the Min-nan (Southern Fuchien) language.　The Taiwanese people generally refer to this deity as “Tsu-shih Kung (Grand Master).”　The incarnations of the Master Ching-shui are known as Peng-lai Ta Tsu, Hsien-ying Tsu-shih, Hui-ying Tsu-shih, Pu-an Tsu-shih, or Lo-pi Tsu-shih.

　　The ancestors of the Han Chinese arrived in Taiwan in the Ching Dynasty and settled in Feng-shan, Chia-yi, Yun-lin, Chang-hua, Heng-chun, Peng-hu , and Tan-shui areas where they built Master Temples.　The most prominent Master temples in the northern region are those in Meng-chia, Tan-shui, and Sanshia.

The evolution of the Sanshia Masters Temple

　　Sanshia and Ying-Ke were originally towns under the jurisdiction of “Hai-shan Chuang. ”　With the development brought by immigrants, the towns grew and prospered.　The Sanshia Master Temple and Ying-ke pottery has become representative of Taiwan’s folk culture.

　　In Kang-hsi 24^th year, Chen Yu-lu and his clan from An-hsi settled in Nan-ching Tso (now known as Ying-ke Nan-ching Li).　In Chien-lung 20^th year (1749), Tung Jih-hsu from An-hsi led a group of people to develop the land in Sanshia.　By Chien-lung 34^th year (1769), they had settled comfortably into their new lease on life and started to build the Sanshia Master Temple, at that time known as “Chang-fu Yen.”　The duty for the worship of Chang-fu Yen Master was allotted to seven clans by the surnames Chen, Li, Liu, Lin, Wang, Ta Ca surnames, and Chung Chuang Ca surnames.　They took turns to fund and organize the annual birthday celebration for the Master on the 6^th day of the 1^st lunar month.

Sanshia Master Temple went through three restorations

　　The first restoration occurred in Tao-kuang 13^th year (1833) because the original structure was destroyed by an earthquake.

Second restoration

　　The 2^nd restoration occurred in Kuang-hsu 25^th year (1899) when the Ching army lost the Chia-wu war and Taiwan was ceded to Japan under the Ma-kuan treaty.　Unwilling to live under Japanese rule, the people of Sanshia revolted, using the Master temple and the Hsing-lung palace as their stronghold.　The Japanese in retaliation burned down these buildings.　In Kuang-hsu 25^th year (1899) devotees funded the restoration.

Third restoration

　　The 3^rd restoration was in Min-kuo 36^th year (1947) organized by Li Mei-shu(1902 – 1983), one of Taiwan’s most prominent artists.　He dedicated half his lifetime to the restoration, consigning builders who excelled in building temples, sculptors, competent cut-and-paste artists ,and other artists to participate in the rebuilding of the temple.　He personally led a team of students majoring in sculpture in National Taiwan Institute of Arts to create the bronze sculptures which greatly enhanced the beauty of the temple and earned it the prestigious title of “the hall of oriental sculpture and art.”

A Comparison of Sanshia, Tanshui, and Meng Chia Master Temples

　　In the early days, An-hsi migrants to Taiwan traveled upriver along the Tanshui river, Hsintien stream, and Tahan stream, and congregated in Tanshui, Mengchia and Sanshia areas.　This is the reason why the three best built Master Temples in the northern region of Taiwan are found in these areas.　Among the three, the Sanshia “Chang-fu Yen,” built in Chien-lung 34^th year, was the earliest.

　　If we take the completion date of the 3^rd restoration of the Sanshia Master Temple as in 1989 (the 78^th year of Republic), then these three Master Temples represent the styles of the three periods – Ching, Japanese occupation, and the Republic.

Meng Chia Master Temple

　　The Meng Chia Master Temple is structured with 3 gates and 2 halls.　The roof of the Sanchuan hall is designed in the Sanchuan ridge style; the main ridge and slanted ridge are adorned by cut-and-paste ceramics; the stone carvings and clay figurines are representative of the decorative style used in temples in the Ching era.　The temple is well worth a visit.

Tanshui Master Temple

　　The rooftop of the Tanshui Master Temple is adorned with elegant, beautiful cut-and-paste ceramics; the stone and wood carvings in the temple are exquisitely crafted in a style used frequently during the Japanese occupation.　In 1976, the temple has underwent an expansion project where the bell tower was added and the renovation was updated to reflect a more modern style.　Viewing the ornaments in the temple, visitors can appreciate the changing trends through the times.

　　The design of the Sanshia Master Temple was originally based on the 5-gate-3-hall concept. However, the back hall has not been completed.　The roof of the front hall has 4 slanted ridges; the main hall is built in the style of rolling-hill adorned with exquisite cut-and-paste ceramics.　All wood and stone carvings in the temple were crafted by the best craftsmen while the designs were created by prominent painters.