The Religious Heart of Taiwan - Dajia, Taiwan

  
 One of the things I learned about, and saw while I was in Dajia was the role religion played in the lives of the people. Beyond holidays there were shrines that I saw in use daily. The shrines had offerings and incense and placed at them and no matter what part of the day it was, I would witness at least a few people taking part in ritual at the Shrines or Temples.

       There are shrines all throughout Dajia ranging from no larger than a small box, to the size of an office, to a makeshift yurt where monks are invited and ceremonies take place. All of these I saw in my time there. 

                                           One of the small box sized shrines

         Some of the moments that stood out where where when I was exploring Taiwan at night. The first place was a small shrine where I witnessed a family laying offerings. At a shrine near the entrance Dajia I saw flowers being laid as the Chinese New Years was taking place, and the makeshift temporary shrines popped up all over Dajia depending on the day. It was at these shrines were I could see statues inside of Bodhisattvas, and a few times they were full of monks chanting.

                                                     One of the Temporary Shrines   
   Rarely, if ever, did I see someone visit a shrine or Temple alone. It was built around family, community and taking part in it with everyone there. It was a collectivism that I haven't noticed as much here in the States where ritual is mostly confined to the building and what social events there are are purely social verses honoring something greater (be it virtue, ancestors, etc.) that I saw in Taiwan.

     I look forward to returning someday and am grateful for being able to experience the religious center of Taiwan. As I was going to the airport I noticed something else - a Bodhisattva being driven around in a truck, with music playing. It was the middle of morning so no one would be at Temple most likely due to work, but the ritual of Temple was brought out, even if the way was pretty gaudy...though the intent was good I think of simply wishing to bless those in the area.

     

Return to Zhenlan Temple - Dajia, Taiwan - February 23rd, 2014

 

       My last day in Taiwan was also my return to Zhenlan Temple. Suffice to say, it ended up being just what I needed. The last time I was here it was so crowded and loud I could barely hear myself think...this time, there were people (families) but it was quiet and reflective...honestly one of the reasons I love hiking and being out in nature so much. In the place where there is silence is often the best place to find oneself and how it is connected to others.

    The only sound in the Temple was in the courtyard outside, where a musician played smooth jazz. Not exactly what I was expecting but the guy was talented, and the music mixed with the incense that I bought and used to pay my respects to the Bodhisattvas in the Temple (and Matzu who the Temple is built around) ended up making time feel as if it was slowing down. It was easy to find solace and the silence of the night and the stars, mixed with the silence in the Temple was perfect.

  After my prayers I explored in and around the Temple. I had just come from checking a small box shrine and another temple in town where I'd been thinking about the future, my time in Taiwan and where to go next. The trip wasn't what I expected, but I guess when traveling things rarely are. In the end the most we can do is make the most of the time we have and accept the constant change of life. I don't know when it will be, but I look forward to returning to Taiwan once more.

Lunar New Years Part 2 - Dajia Wunchang Shrine - Dajia, Taiwan - February 2nd, 2014

       One of the best things about getting lost is you'll never know what you'll find. In the case of today I was fortunate to discover the Dajia Wunchang Shrine. The Shrine was donated by a wealthy man in Dajia and it was originally both a shrine and a school built in the late 1800's, being eventually made a historical cite in 1985 by Dajia's local government. The location was on a corner next to a hamburger joint a new friend I made here is opening...so the location is inconspicious. This was one of the many ways it differed from Zhenlan Temple.

      Another difference was how uncrowded and peaceful it was. At Zhenlan it was too overwhelming to even say a prayer, much less buy incense...but here, incense was based on how much you chose to donate and there were only a few family present performing the rituals for the new year. It was here I got three incense and said my prayer as well. For virtue, fortune and luck...

     It was my first time being in a place where I could reflect on my time here so far and the possibilities of the year to come with all its trials and possibilities. Suffice to say, I plan on returning here again. It was the first and only place I stopped to stay at after Zhenlan Temple, though I did discover many more places I plan on visiting.

     The day ended with success and I found where I was soon after the Shrine. Here is to the coming year and the final days of this Lunar New Years.

Lunar New Years Part 1 - Zhenlan Temple - Dajia, Taiwan - February 2nd, 2014

       I think I like Temples and other religious places best when it is quiet enough to enjoy the silence. Due it being Lunar New Years and Zhenlan Temple being one of the main places for people to go to see Mazu (the Goddess of sailors, luck and fortune) it was not the case today. The Temple is large and beautiful but because of all the people it was really hard to take in.

   I came with a friend who didn't want to deal with the crowds, which I think was a wise decision. It felt like St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican where there was a constant stream of people and no time to fully take in anything. The noise and strong smells of incense didn't help.

   I do plan on returning here though, when it is left crowded. From what little time I was able to spend inside the Temple I can see why people come. There is so much history here and the Temple is one of the central points in Dajia making it not only a religious center but a cultural center too.

     Luckily the next stop in my journey around Dajia (and getting lost) I found the Dajia Wunchang Shrine (and a few smaller shrines I didn't end up visiting today) as well as a church that was closed (all locations which I plan on visiting later) which made for a very great end to the day.

Fengyuan Shrine - Fengyuan, Taiwan - January 22nd, 2014

   

       Some of the best adventures are the impromptu ones, especially when they are to such fantastic places as this Shrine near a cemetery in Fengyuan. I've always been fascinated by cemeteries, like churches and Temples that are old there is so much history to them. You have generations of lives in a single place.  

     My friend and coworker brought us here (myself and my other friend and colleague Adam) because I told him about the blog. He described the ceremonies that happen here, it is here where there are Tomb Sweeping ceremonies and many of the celebrations tied to the dead and honoring the ancestors.  

      It is this connection to the past that I wish was more prevalent in the west. I don't think that European traditions are very good at remembering the past or paying tribute to the ancestors in such a way that we remember where we came from. For many of us in the USA are pasts are lost in the changing of last names, knowledge that wasn't recorded or things that were lost. It is traditions like Tomb Sweeping and honoring of the past ancestors that I would like to carry on to whatever family I have in the future.

      This is a location that I plan on updating once I learn more about, since I can't find it anywhere online, even though you can see it from Fengyuan. It is high up on the mountain, though only reachable by a single road that as of a few months ago was blocked by a mudslide. I think that added to the adventure of being there. It was a mystical place and hidden treasure in an already quite amazing city. Our friend had showed around Fengyuan and I was very quick to fall in love with it.

         While there we talked about Taiwan and how we were getting used to being here (and enjoying our time here while teaching) as well as talking about home, the natural world and our experiences. It was a powerful experience.

    We also got to experience the silence. Night and the mind, one of the most peaceful places to be. A quiet, empty shrine with the stars in the sky and the lights in the cities below...these are the moments that add the magic and make life beautiful. 

The Outsider Goes to Taiwan

      A new year and a new place to visit. This year I was given the opportunity to visit Taiwan, specifically the town of Dajia. Dajia is a great place for the blog for many reasons, one of which is its closeness to other cities (and how close Taiwan is physically to other nations) and the three Temples here in town.

      Over the course of this year I'll be covering holidays with friends and visits to the Temples.

    I look forward to what the future holds in regards to these explorations and others. I can hardly speak on the religious makeup of Taiwan but I plan to explore wherever I am and wherever I go in my time here, and hopefully through it all continue to grow.

   I look forward to your feedback and thoughts and look forward to seeing you on this side of the Earth or when I return to the USA. Thank you for your continues support and conversations that this blog has sparked. I would not have lived as long as it has if not for that interaction with people, community, you. So thank you.

  Here goes to this new year and time inTaiwan and all the possibilities to come.