明永曆16年（1662）鄭成功去世後，台民為感念鄭氏驅荷復台、開疆拓土、矢志孤忠、延明正朔的功績與精神，特在此地立廟奉祀，名曰「開山王廟」。清代名臣沈葆楨奏請為鄭氏立祠，於光緒元年（1875）竣工，為一座福州式建築。光復後，政府為表彰明鄭復台精神，將原福州式建築拆除，改建為鋼筋水泥的仿中國北方式建築，舊廟新建，造成列級古蹟的爭議。然祠中珍貴文物豐富，尤其為數眾多的清代楹聯，包括原廟創建者沈葆楨手書，比例雄渾，意義雋永，仍極具歷史價值。

Koxinga died in 1662 (the 16th year of the Yung Li reign of the Ming dynasty). The Taiwanese people set up a temple called “Kai Shan King Temple” in commemoration of his expulsion of the Dutch and recovery of Taiwan, his development of Taiwan, his loyalty to the Ming House, his accomplishments and his spirit. General Shen Pao-cheng proposed to the Ching court the establishment of a shrine in honor of Koxinga. The construction was completed in 1875 (the first year of the Kuang Hsu reign). It was in Fukien-style building and reconstructed the shrine in a north Chinese style. The reconstruction resulted in controversy over its ratification as a national site. However, there are many cultural objects in the shrine, including a large number of couplets from the Ching dynasty, including a couplet handwritten by shrine founder Shen Pao-cheng. Its strong strokes and profound meaning has considerable historic value.