At Lungshan Temple, many people were worshipping behind the main hall

People praying in Lungshan Temple — People praying behind the main hall

At Lungshan Temple, the main hall where the main deity, Guanyin, is enshrined is surrounded by other halls where other deities are also enshrined. Visitors are supposed to pray at the altar for each benefit they are seeking. It is likely that the Buddhist gods were not enough to pursue benefits in this world. There are several altars in the temple to worship Taoist deities as well.

There are also several altars on the back side of the main hall, where visitors can also be seen. Some people were praying with long incense sticks in their hands, which is not so common in Japan, while others were just holding their hands together. I don't know what they are looking for, but I guess that the gods seated behind the temple are good at what they are doing.

Looking at the layout of the temple grounds, one can see that the altar in the front of the photo is dedicated to Mazu (Goddess of the Sea). Mazu is the patron god of navigation and fishery. Originally a goddess of the sea, she is now a popular deity who is believed to be beneficial to all things. This makes one wonder if there is no need to worship Avalokitesvara as long as Mazu is enshrined here, but there are probably various adult-related reasons for this.

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