The god seated at the altar of Wenchanggong Temple looked hot surrounded by blessing lights

Altar in Wenchanggong — Altar in the Wenchanggong

In addition to Emperor Lord Wen Chang, there are five other deities enshrined at Wenchanggong Temple in Taipei, and each deity is seated at its own altar. The deity in the photo is one of them. The grim-faced god is seated in the center of the altar, with a large incense burner in front of him. The many sticks of incense seem to indicate that worshippers visit this place without interruption.

The wall that flanks the altar is lined with small lights. These are called "blessing lights," and they are dedicated by visitors. Each light is inscribed with the name of the person who dedicated it, and it is believed that if one dedicates it, it will bring blessings to his or her family. The myriad of blessing lights were shining brightly in the deserted Wenchanggong Temple.

At first glance, it seemed as if the altar would get very hot with so many lights, but when I actually stood in front of the altar, I felt no heat, probably because it was made of LEDs. In the old days, the altar would have been made of incandescent bulbs, and even further back, it must have been made of candles. If so, the god must have been very hot. The inside of the hall, lit by countless candles, was like a steam bath, which must have been unbearable if you are not a sauna lover.

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