A few Saturdays ago, my friends Brandon, Megan, Susan, Amy and I took a lovely little day trip to 大甲 (Dajia), a coastal city about an hour away, home to the Chenlan temple, which is the most famous temple in all of Taiwan.
Chenlan Temple
The Chenlan temple is home to 媽祖 (Mazu), the “goddess of the sea.” This famous statue (of 媽祖) was brought to Taiwan from China in 1730 by a man named Lin Yung-hsing (in Chinese, you say your last name first). He settled in 大甲 (Dajia), on the western coast of 台灣 (Taiwan), and many came to worship 媽祖. Yung-hsing soon began a small shrine where the Chenlan temple is now located. Several people from 大甲 have had lots of success and/or have become quite wealthy. It is believed that all of this good fortune originates from 媽祖 and her great powers. This prosperity has prompted many to believe she is more powerful than other Daoist gods and goddesses, thus they make pilgrimages from all over 台灣 to 大甲, just to pray to 媽祖, in hopes that she will send good fortune their way.
There are approximately 1,500 Daoist temples dedicated to 媽祖 (Mazu) in 26 countries around the world. They are found in Australia, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the US, Vietnam, etc.
The Chenlan temple has become so large and ornate because many hope this goddess has great powers. Over the years, believers have made considerable contributions to the temple, allowing the temple to add on and become the elaborate structure it is today.
媽祖
Tradition says that during mortality, 媽祖 (Mazu) was a woman named Lin Moniang, born in 960 on an island off the SE coast of China. Legend has it she didn’t cry at birth, and one of the characters in her first name means silence. Moniang's father and brothers were fishermen, as were many men in her village. She always wore red clothing and carried a lantern while standing on the shore to guide the fishing boats home, even in harsh weather. One day, a terrible typhoon arose while they were out at sea, and she feared that her father and brothers had perished. Moniang was a strong swimmer, and swam out to save her family. She did save her father and brothers' lives, as well as all of the fishermen in the village. Tragically, though she saved everyone else, Moniang drowned. As a result of her selflessness and mercy, she became a goddess.
媽祖 (Mazu) is seen as a guardian angel for the Taiwanese people. For example, in 1935, there was an awful earthquake in the surrounding areas of 大甲 (Dajia), but the city of 大甲 was safe. The people believed that this was a blessing from 媽祖.
In Taiwan, there are 800-1,000 temples temples dedicated entirely/partly to this powerful goddess. Initially, it was believed that she just blessed the sea for fishermen. But as time went on, people began praying to her for health, help with their careers, farming, relationships, etc. It is believed that 媽祖 is also responsible for abundant spring rains. According to a research team at a university in central Taiwan, many believe that 媽祖 goes on an annual “inspection tour” to check on her people, spread blessings, and repel evil for her followers.
I talked to a Taiwanese man at this temple, and asked him if he really believed that 媽祖 had all this power. "No comment," he replied. He basically told us that it's hard to know if this good fortune is just by chance...or if it really does come from 媽祖. He said he thinks a lot of Taiwanese people feel the same way. They don't know if these gods and goddesses have power or not. But they feel like they should pray to them and make offerings to them, partly out of tradition, and partly because they hope perhaps these gods and goddesses do have power to help them. That's all based on one man's opinion, and I'm sure there are very devout believers out there. But they're not all that common.
This man was also telling me how if you have a dangerous occupation (i.e. if you're a fisherman), you are more likely to seek out protection from the gods. But if your job isn't so hazardous, you'll probably feel less of a need to seek out such protection.
This food is an offering to the gods, in hopes that the gods will bless them with good fortune. Daoists believe that the gods will eat the spirit of the food, and then they can eat the physical part of the food afterward. They believe that those in the afterlife need to be taken care of by their descendents on Earth. They provide them with food offerings. They also burn "paper money" and they believe that it will go their ancestors in the afterlife.
Chenlan Temple
The Chenlan temple is home to 媽祖 (Mazu), the “goddess of the sea.” This famous statue (of 媽祖) was brought to Taiwan from China in 1730 by a man named Lin Yung-hsing (in Chinese, you say your last name first). He settled in 大甲 (Dajia), on the western coast of 台灣 (Taiwan), and many came to worship 媽祖. Yung-hsing soon began a small shrine where the Chenlan temple is now located. Several people from 大甲 have had lots of success and/or have become quite wealthy. It is believed that all of this good fortune originates from 媽祖 and her great powers. This prosperity has prompted many to believe she is more powerful than other Daoist gods and goddesses, thus they make pilgrimages from all over 台灣 to 大甲, just to pray to 媽祖, in hopes that she will send good fortune their way.
There are approximately 1,500 Daoist temples dedicated to 媽祖 (Mazu) in 26 countries around the world. They are found in Australia, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the US, Vietnam, etc.
The Chenlan temple has become so large and ornate because many hope this goddess has great powers. Over the years, believers have made considerable contributions to the temple, allowing the temple to add on and become the elaborate structure it is today.
媽祖
Tradition says that during mortality, 媽祖 (Mazu) was a woman named Lin Moniang, born in 960 on an island off the SE coast of China. Legend has it she didn’t cry at birth, and one of the characters in her first name means silence. Moniang's father and brothers were fishermen, as were many men in her village. She always wore red clothing and carried a lantern while standing on the shore to guide the fishing boats home, even in harsh weather. One day, a terrible typhoon arose while they were out at sea, and she feared that her father and brothers had perished. Moniang was a strong swimmer, and swam out to save her family. She did save her father and brothers' lives, as well as all of the fishermen in the village. Tragically, though she saved everyone else, Moniang drowned. As a result of her selflessness and mercy, she became a goddess.
媽祖 (Mazu) is seen as a guardian angel for the Taiwanese people. For example, in 1935, there was an awful earthquake in the surrounding areas of 大甲 (Dajia), but the city of 大甲 was safe. The people believed that this was a blessing from 媽祖.
In Taiwan, there are 800-1,000 temples temples dedicated entirely/partly to this powerful goddess. Initially, it was believed that she just blessed the sea for fishermen. But as time went on, people began praying to her for health, help with their careers, farming, relationships, etc. It is believed that 媽祖 is also responsible for abundant spring rains. According to a research team at a university in central Taiwan, many believe that 媽祖 goes on an annual “inspection tour” to check on her people, spread blessings, and repel evil for her followers.
I talked to a Taiwanese man at this temple, and asked him if he really believed that 媽祖 had all this power. "No comment," he replied. He basically told us that it's hard to know if this good fortune is just by chance...or if it really does come from 媽祖. He said he thinks a lot of Taiwanese people feel the same way. They don't know if these gods and goddesses have power or not. But they feel like they should pray to them and make offerings to them, partly out of tradition, and partly because they hope perhaps these gods and goddesses do have power to help them. That's all based on one man's opinion, and I'm sure there are very devout believers out there. But they're not all that common.
This man was also telling me how if you have a dangerous occupation (i.e. if you're a fisherman), you are more likely to seek out protection from the gods. But if your job isn't so hazardous, you'll probably feel less of a need to seek out such protection.
This food is an offering to the gods, in hopes that the gods will bless them with good fortune. Daoists believe that the gods will eat the spirit of the food, and then they can eat the physical part of the food afterward. They believe that those in the afterlife need to be taken care of by their descendents on Earth. They provide them with food offerings. They also burn "paper money" and they believe that it will go their ancestors in the afterlife.
They pray to the gods with incense in hand (it symbolizes honor to the gods).
A stunning ceiling in the basement of the temple.
Check out the original bathroom signs. :)
Trying on some Taiwanese apparel. :)
We made a stop at this famous must-taste bakery in 大甲...
...where we stocked up on traditional Taiwanese pastries/goodies...delish! Definitely not like any American/European pastries I've ever had. Not nearly as sweet. Refreshingly different.
'Twas a delightful adventure. Many more to come! :)
2 comments:
This is an awesome post! Great information!
Pastries looking good :) You look so happy!
Post a Comment