- Who
- Beigang Wude Temple
- What
- 10.83 dimension(s)
- Where
- Taiwan, China (Beigang Township)
- When
The largest joss paper furnace is 10.83 m (35 ft 6.38 ins) and was achieved by Beigang Wude Temple (China) in Beigang, Taiwan, China, on 13 April 2015.
Beigang WuDe Temple is 50 years old and its record-setting joss paper furnace is in its 31st year. The temple is dedicated to Zhaominggong, a god of fortune, a deity visited by increasing numbers of pilgrims and tourists seeking financial help and guidance. The statue of Zhaominggong was first brought to Taiwan in 1849 and, according to legend, the god revealed itself to the temple's founder after its original idol had been destroyed in the time of Japanese occupation.
Joss paper is burnt in the furnace for around 20 hours per day and for longer at Chinese New Year. The volume of paper being offered by pilgrims required that the furnace be built to considerable dimensions. It is made of brick with its walls being around 50 cm thick. The collar of the furnace is adorned with six geese in a hexagonal shape while its walls are decorated with the images of 36 gods. The actual height of the furnace including the chimney is over 12 metres, but for the purpose of this record the chimney height could only make up one-tenth of the total height. The main body of the furnace is 9.75 m high and over 6 m wide at its widest point.
