The first time I visited the Temple of the Masses, it was crowded with many people. People were holding incense sticks to worship. It is convenient to get there because it is near MRT XinZhuang Station. Within a five-minute walking distance, the temple is in front of you. Students from nearby middle schools will go there before the upcoming exam. All they pray for is to get good grades on their essential entrance exams. By doing so, they can successfully enter their ideal school.
第一次去大眾廟時有很多人去現場朝拜，香火鼎盛，且附近非常的便利搭捷運新莊站，走五分鐘就可以到達地藏庵，附近的國高中鄰近每次會考、學測時都會帶著學生去參拜，祈求得到一個好成績，讓大家都能前往自己想去的地方或是學校。
New Taipei City's Xinzhuang District is home to the historic Xinzhuang Dizang Temple, also known as the "Temple of the Masses." With over 280 years of history, this Buddhist temple primarily worships Bodhisattva Dizang (Ksitigarbha). Furthermore, it is renowned for its vibrant religious culture. The temple's annual "Masses Procession'' is recognized as a cultural heritage of New Taipei City and is considered one of the origins of the famous "Guan Jiang Shou" (官將首) tradition.
The temple's name "Temple of the Masses" originated from the early settlers' struggles with the challenging marshy terrain in the region, which led to the spread of diseases. Compassionate individuals in the community raised funds to build the Dizang Temple, initially dedicated to the deity known as "Masses Lord." As time passed, the temple became a focal point of local faith, and the Masses Lord's festival evolved into the renowned New Zhuang Grand Prayer, or "Xin Zhuang Da Bai Bai."
The Xinzhuang Grand Prayer is a time-honored event with a rich cultural heritage, attracting thousands of devotees. On specific dates, believers gather near the temple, and the ritual involves parading through the Xinzhuang area with the deity's palanquin while performing prayers and seeking blessings. This event embodies the local religious beliefs and signifies traditional values, witnessing the Xinzhuang Dizang Temple's significant role in the local community.
新莊地藏庵，又稱大眾廟，坐落於台灣新北市新莊區，是一座歷史悠久的佛教寺廟，建廟已逾兩百八十年。主要供奉地藏王菩薩，廟內歷史悠久且具有特殊意義的大眾爺繞境活動被列為新北市文化資產，也被視為官將首的起源地之一。這座寺廟被稱為大眾廟的由來，源自早期移民在不適應當地的沼澤地形中，導致疾病蔓延。為了解決這些問題，地方善心人士出資修建了地藏庵，最初供奉的神明是大眾爺，因此寺廟得名大眾廟。隨著時間的推移，大眾廟成為了當地信仰的核心，大眾爺的祭典漸漸演變成一年一度的盛事，即著名的新莊大拜拜，新莊大拜拜是一個擁有悠久歷史和濃厚文化特色的活動，吸引著數以千計的信徒參與。信徒們在特定日期聚集在寺廟附近，隨著神轎繞境新莊區域，進行拜拜和祈福的儀式。這個活動不僅體現了當地的宗教信仰，還代表了傳統價值觀，並見證了新莊地藏庵和大眾廟在當地社區中的重要地位。