Long Shan Temple-Taipei city-i enter the gate at the side and as i walk into the center courtyard enter another world. Passing a beautiful painted relief of a tiger (im told the opposite entrance has a dragon to conform to the fung shua of the temple design) i look on an amazing sight. In the center of the open courtyard is a large structure covered with slate and engraved with white painted chinese characters. Around all four sides are hundreds of people holding books and chanting. The chant is melodic and not the usual harsh chant i hear in many temples--sounds like a song.
Inside the temple grounds on the outer walls are numerous alcoves where statutes and altars of various Buddist dieties are housed. Each diety has its purpose and in front of each a number of the faithful stand hands clasped together quitely praying. Incense burns all around us its smell mingling with the beautiful chanting does a number on my western mind.
My friends Ed Sasa and myself take it all in;Sasa once again our guide. Beautifully carved stone columns stand at intervals linning the alcoves housing the Buddahs. Im told that the area all around the temple was bombed during ww2 but the temple was un touched. Walking up to the first alcove sasa explains "This is the old man with a book sitting under the full moon. The book holds the names of all the unmarried people.
When the old man finds the name of a young man who wants to be married he ties a red string around the wrist of the man." She then reaches into a box at the side of the alter and hands me a red string. " People who want to find a spouse will pray here" I look and notice about 5 young men intensly praying-no women. Sasa just smiles when i point this out. They hold thier hands clasped in front of them holding an incense stick and eyes closed silently mouthing prayers. "When the right match person is found for the young man the old man will tie the loose end of the string around the womans wrist and then they will notice each other. Hummmmmm? I think about the tea merchant in my previous story who found his wife when he was buying tea falling in love with her instantly after seeing her colledting tea on the hillside. I wonder if he was wearing a red string. Interesting but not the alcove for me to ask a question.
At the next diety i noticed a number of young women praying in the same manner. "This is the Buddah for women who want to be pregnant" Sasa explains. Interesting but again not for me.
"What is this Buddah?" i ask walking to the next alcove as the chanting continues in the back ground and the smoke swirls in the wind. This Buddah is for wealth,prosperty money and good fortune. Well! I have found my Diety! "How do i ask a question here"? i ask Sasa. She hands me a couple of wooden 1/2 moon shaped objects painted red-flat on one side and rounded on the other. "Hold these between your hands and shake your hands up and down three times asking a question then drop them on the ground. If one lands up and one down you will get your answer". Ok i do as instructed and drop one up and one down. "Good now you choose your message" she says pointing to a jar beside the alcove holding laquered sticks with chinese characters. Choosing one im instructed to repeat the action with the 1/2 moon blocks. Both down-- choose another stick and try again. Same-try again. Third time one up and one down- Sasa takes my stick and walks over to a small chest with a number of tiny drawers. She opens one up and pulls out a piece of paper with my fortune. The paper has columns of Chinese characters and as Sasa intently reads it the chanting picks up in volume and intensity. She looks at me and says "You will have a lot of money and large fortune but not right now. You must be patient. Others will get fortune before you but you will get it too so dont try to rush as you will have long life and many years".
As we pass through the gate i realize that the chanters have stopped and are filing out into the streets of Taipei as the present century surrounds me once again. "How did you like the temple and your fortune"? Sasa asks as i pick up a good fortune charm and the temple gift shop. "It was wonderul" i said " Big fortune in my future! Lunch is on me!
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