Many poe were placed on a tray at the Lungshan Temple

Poe objects in Lungshan Temple
Poe objects in Lungshan Temple
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While walking around Lungshan Temple in Taipei, I saw a red tray. Inside were several small crescent-shaped objects. These objects are called poe. These objects are commonly used in Taiwan as tools for fortune-telling. In Taiwan, they are placed in temples, and worshippers use these poe to divine their fortune. It is similar to the omikuji sold at shrines and temples in Japan.

Poe fortune-telling is common in Taiwan, and it is not unusual to see people practicing it not only at Long-Shan Temple but also at other temples. People who grab two poe and throw them toward the ground and tell their fortune according to the state of the poe on the ground are a common sight at all temples in Taiwan, regardless of whether they are famous or not.

From what I have seen, Taiwanese are more religious than Japanese. Even if you visit a temple that is not a tourist attraction, you will never find no worshippers, and you will always see people praying. But when I see Taiwanese people who not only visit temples, but also like to pray to the gods, I get the feeling that they are more than just pious. They seem to want to know the result of their prayers as soon as they make them. Perhaps Taiwanese people are impatient and are dissatisfied if they do not know the result of their prayers immediately.

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Nov 2019 STILL LIFE TAIWAN

PHOTO DATA

No

11269

Shooting Date

Jul 2019

Posted On

November 7, 2019

Modified On

October 9, 2023

Place

Taipei, Taiwan

Genre

Still Life Photography

Camera

SONY ALPHA 7R II

Lens

ZEISS BATIS 1.8/85

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