The Jinguashi Temple, also known as the Mountain Temple and Gold Temple, is located 650m above the end of the pathway in the Gold Ecological Park. The stone steps leading up to the temple have been renovated with along with the park facilities. With the varying height of 300m to 400m above sea level, and the total length of 600m, it is about 20-minute walk to the temple. The roadside wildlife in the mountain offers varying seasonal moods. If you happen to be visiting on a rainy day, please beware of the slippery paths and take extra precaution in your steps. Since there iws no shade for the length of the path, please take measures to prevent heatstroke during a hot summer day.
Built in this gold mining region, the Gold Temple was conceived in hopes to ensure a smooth development of the mining business. The temple enshrines three Japanese protectors of mining: Okuninushi no Mikoto, Kanayamahiko no Mikoto and Sarutahiko no Mikoto. Construction began in 1905, and was managed by the Chairman of Tanaka Mining Company, which operated the mines in Benshan at the time. The original site of the temple was on the plains east of Benshan in Jinguashi. Later, as the mining business bloomed, communities around Jinguashi became prosperous, and the temple was relocated to the mountain hills by "Siping Alley", on top of what is known as the "Divine Pulse" of Benshan. After the Japanese left Taiwan, the mining regions were taken over by the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and Taiwan Power Company.
