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Chongzhen Temple is one of the most prestigious ancient temples in Quanzhou. It was built in Song dynasty in honor of the God of Water, Zhenwu. Since most of the local residents make a living by fishing, the God of Water is especially respected and honored as the guardian of the ocean. Legend has it that once upon a time, a merchant ship ran into a pirate ship near Taizhou. However, the pirate ship retreated immediately, claiming that the merchant ship was equipped with soldiers and black flags. Since the merchant ship only had a small flag from Chongzhen Temple hanging on it, people believed that the God of Water protected them. Since then, every time a ship set off, the seamen would bring a black flag, which symbolizes the water god, Chongzhen.
