![]() ![]() Sunbathe on Jibei Sand Tail, Penghu Islands The center door is reserved for the gods, the abbot, and the president. Surely you wouldn’t want it the other way round. Local Tip: Entering a temple the proper way – through the "dragon door" on the right-hand side, and exiting through the "tiger door" on the left means you go into protection and leave danger behind. Some favorites from all over the country are Taipei’s Unesco-award winning Bao'anTemple, Lukang’s graceful Longshan Temple, Penghu’s old Tianhou Temple, Tainan’s fierce City God Temple, and Changhua’s Nanyao Temple with its Doric columns. On quiet days, with their relics, sculptures and caisson ceilings, temples are museums in their own right.īoth Tainan and Lukang are home to a wealth of old structures, from understated Confucius temples to Mazu temples rich in southern Chinese folk decorative art. During festivals, temples offer up a smoky and noisy slice of local life. They burn joss paper for the departed, toss moon blocks to seek divine guidance on whether to buy a car, and make offerings of guava, orchids and sesame crackers to a pantheon of deities. You’ll see devotees, including a surprising number of young people, praying and giving thanks. Whether incense-filled and packed to the eaves with idols and art or a dusky roadside shrine, whether Taoist, Buddhist, Confucian or folk, temples offer a fascinating glimpse into Taiwan’s spiritual life. Temples offer a glimpse into spiritual life in Taiwan © iStockphoto / Getty Images 1. ![]()
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