Thick candles celebrating the Chinese new year were placed in TOASEBIO

Thick candles in TOASEBIO — Thick candles burning in TOASEBIO

I stepped inside a Chinese temple called TOASEBIO in Glodok district of Jakarta. Passing through a small gate, there were many thick candles standing in the middle of the road leading to the main building. I wondered if it's to celebrate the Spring Festival. In any case, I had never seen such a thick candle in other countries. Every candle was lit and the flames flickered on the pillar-like candles.

This is a temple built by the southern Fujian Chinese, and it enshrines Xie Xuan, a general of the Eastern Jin Dynasty of China, as the main deity. When you hear that, you may think it's a Taoist temple, but there are not only Taoist deities but also Buddhist and Confucian deities enshrined. Japanese Shinto shrines usually have multiple deities enshrined, and this Chinese temple is not to be outdone. If there are so many gods enshrined, there must be some deities who can handle any kind of prayer.

As I was sitting on a bench in the precincts looking at the burning candles, a local man came and gave me some water. I think he told me to drink some water and get some rest. I wondered if I looked so tired.

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