彰化開化寺 @ smallove

開化寺位於彰化市市中心內

距離彰化孔廟、彰化火車站都相當近

目前被指定為第三級古蹟

開化寺門口有一面中英解說牌

上面寫著：

開化寺，俗稱觀音亭，為彰化歷史最悠久的佛寺，被譽為「開彰第一寺院」，主祀觀世音菩薩。清雍正元年(1723)彰化設縣，本寺創建於隔年，取名開化，以喻初開彰化第一佛寺。本寺歷經多次重修，寺院化為烏有，幸經士紳倡議鳩資，才得以重建。本寺坐東北朝西南，為三開間兩進兩廊的佛寺建築。前殿因昔日道路拓寬而遭拆除，改為今日所見造型特殊之院門；前方所立之青斗石獅，造型柔美纖細，雕刻手法高超，為台灣早期石雕之佳作。

It is commonly called the Guanyin Pavilion, and is the oldest Buddha temple in Changhua. It is acclaimed to be 「The first temple of Changhua」. The main worship is Guanyin Buddha. Changhua became a county in 1723 and this temple was built the year after. It was then known as Kaihua meaning the opening the first Buddha temple in Changhua. Having been destroyed by earthquakes and fire in the past, the temple has been through several renovations. Luckily, local people advocated collecting money to rebuild it. This temple is a Buddha building with three bays, two entrances and two covered porches. It sits east-north and faces west-south. The front hall was once pulled down in order to broaden the adjoining road, after which a special gate was erected. The green stone lions heads are gentle and fine, and the carving technique is superb. They are (one of) the best stone carving work of early Taiwan.

從這解說牌讓不僅可以瞭解開化寺的歷史背景

也讓我知道了三開間兩進兩廊(three bays, two entrances and two covered porches)該怎麼翻成英文^^

開化寺正殿供奉的是觀世音菩薩

上方還有許多年代久遠的匾額