台南市四大古剎之一的彌陀寺，在現代曾有廬嘉興著〈台南古剎彌陀寺〉、〈再談台南古剎彌陀寺〉二文，他依寺內祖師堂供奉的牌位、《台灣縣志》、《重修台灣縣志》、《范纂府志》、嘉慶10年（1805）的《重建彌陀寺碑記》、及昭和4年（1929）的《彌陀寺重修碑記》及自己的見證，對彌陀寺的寺史，作了細密的研究，其成果是讓我們可以清楚地了解自明清時代，走過明治時代的兵燹，大正時代被官方佔為衙門之用，後經王兆麟的倡議募款修建，至二次世界大戰之後，釋圓斌接任彌陀寺的住持為止，其沿革經緯。筆者曾經依此研究成果，先有〈台灣佛教史前期〉發表於《中華佛學學報》第八期（頁273－314），後有關彌陀寺的研究收於拙著《台灣與閩日佛教交流史》頁103－111。在此的敘述，着重在王兆麟與彌陀寺的關係，還有頁642－651的部份，是探討彌陀寺住持王兆麟創辦台南家政裁縫講習所的經過情形，及其日後的發展，即此講習所，其組織與名稱改為台南家政女學院，後更名為私立台南和敬女學校、和敬商業實踐女學校，至戰後再更名為私立光華女子中學，以至今日校名為私立光華女子高級中學，還有其校地由彌陀寺現址，移至竹園町五千多坪的土地即今台南市勝利路41號的經緯。筆者以上的研究，多少彌補了盧嘉興文不足的部份吧！但是筆者在發表上文之後，先後接觸到釋圓斌俗家的弟弟吳龍一，及其弟子釋印弘、釋印理諸師，從他們那裡獲得新的資料及口述，還有得到一些關於王兆麟的資料，希望將古剎彌陀寺四百多年的滄桑史，作更完整的陳述。因此筆者在該拙文，依時代即明清時代、日治時代、二次大戰結束後，來探究彌陀寺的寺史，最後對戰後中興彌陀寺的釋圓斌，以比丘尼之身，畢其一身奉獻於該寺的功績，作一較為完整的研究。

As one of the four major ancient temples in Tainan, Mituo Temple was a subject of study for Lu Jia Xing who wrote two articles entitled, ”Tainan Ancient Temple-Mituo Temple” and ”A Further Study on Tainan Ancient Temple-Mituo Temple”. He wrote about the history of the temple by making use of various records as references. Those records include 'The Ancestors' Scroll ', 'the Records of the Taiwan County Annals', 'Revision of the Taiwanese County Annals', 'Fan Cuan Prefecture Annals', 'the Records of the Rebuilding of Mitho Temple written in 1805', 'the Records of the Rebuilding Mituo Temple written in 1929', as well as his own testimony. Thus Lu Jia Xing made a thorough study and research of Mituo Temple's history and his research gave us an understanding of the temple's role ranging from the Ming Ching Dynasty through the war of the Meiji age to the Taisho. During the Taisho period, the temple was used by the government as a local court. Later, Wang Zhoa Lin suggested a fundraiser to restore the temple. Post World War II, Si Yuan Bin took over as head of the temple. My article, ”The Early Age of Taiwan Buddhist History”, published in Chung Hwa Buddhist Journal, issue eight, page 273-314, makes use of their research. My book, 'The Buddhist Interaction History among Taiwan, Fuchian Province and Japan', also includes excerpts from their research in my discussions on 'A related History of Mituo Temple' Page 103-111 and 'Emphasised relations between Wang Zhoa Lin and Mituo Temple”. From pages 642 to 651 I go on to discuss Wang Zhoa Lin as the head of Mituo Temple when he established the Tainan Housekeeping Institution. I also dissert its historical process and later developments. The name was later changed to Tainan Housekeeping Girls' College. It then underwent further name changes to that of the Tainan He Jing Private Girls High School and the Tainan Business Girls' School. After World War II it became the Private Guang Hua Girls High School. Its location has been transferred to Zhu Yuan Ding, which covers more than five thousand square meters and its current address is 41 Sheng Li Road, Tainan City.My research more or less helped to add more information to Lu Jia Xing's articles. After the articles were published, I had a chance to make contact with Master Shi Yuan Bin's brother, Wu Long U and his disciples, Shi Yin Hong and Shi Yin Li. I have obtained more documents about Wang Zhao Lin as well as an oral history from them. I hope I can make a complete historical discussion on Mituo's 400 year history. Thus this article's research will afford us an understanding of Mituo Temple extending from Ming Ching Dynasty through the Japanese colonial period to post World War II. I also endeavor to thoroughly dissert the role of the nun, Shi Yuan Bing, who devoted her entire life to the restoration of Mituo temple.