Rodui and Neipu in Southern Taiwan

Several months ago, I went a village, Neipu內埔. It is near Pingdong, a big city in Southern Taiwan, where some of my friends live. Around that city area is usually known as the place for aboriginal tribes, such as Tsou, Paiwan, and Rukai. Many of my aboriginal friends are also from Pindong. One of the famous places near that city is Sandimen山地門.



There are also large area for Hakka(their own pronunciation) people. Also known as Kejia(Mandarin), but the writing is same as "客家", originated from Guangdong廣東, or more North of China according to the history.





Their population is not more than 20% and have settled all across Taiwan. Some villages are famous place for tourism by their special culture and architectures as well as food.



This is their pedigree. I found it at a Hakka cultural center in RoDui(六堆), also locates nearby Pindong and Neipu. Each card shows one family name, and the seeking the root of their blood. Although there are lots of fascinating things and performances, this room was mostly impressive to me. As I know about their great historical endeavor for "loyalty" and "education," Hakka people's achievements and highly recommended culture can be admired enough. It's one of the precious resources of Taiwan.




One big bookshelf contains many small drawers, and each drawer has each family name, such as 楊, 林, and 酨. The card provide possible history and genesis of family names of Hakka people that speaks their long and hard struggle to settle not only this island but also Guandong and Fuzien, old and far more.

From RoDui(六堆) Hak...

Maju媽祖 of Luerhman鹿耳門

Believing something or someone is mostly the matter of psychology. Trust is obtained and supported by experience, knowledge, and common sense. Faith or belief among people is formed with personal relationship and experience either. If we see some similar and common phenomena in many other people, we might not say it's a sort of psychology.

Without study of anthropologists, we know religious belief and faith are real in people's mind. Sometimes it's rapid fashion, sometimes habit and culture inherited for many years. And they are inseparable. Therefore, religion, culture, habit, custom and social engagements are all not only mental but also material factor.

From 鹿耳門天后宮

Maju媽祖 is one of the highest god in Taiwan, who originally came from South-eastern coast of China, the province of 福建Fuzen. Since they had departed to cross the Taiwan strait 400 years ago, they have believed this female god would protect their sailing. Now it is honored and believed by many Taiwanese as their own god who not only cares ship sailing but also other matters of entire human life. It was just a simple god for safe sailing but now became a great god who manages life and health, economy, business. Some part of liturgy is still related to their first place. But it seems to be regarded as different god now.





There are many branch temples in Taiwan such as Anping, Kaohsiung, and Pingdong. The temples send their representing performance team at common ceremony day as this day. They wear different uniforms, caps, and prepared special ceremonies one another. For example, a team performed a Tzgong and monks dancing, one brought a sedan as the vehicle of their god, one came with women who wear Qing dynasty's costume, the other spreaded a lot of crackers on the ground and sky.




Drums, singing, chanting scripture, playing puppet show, declaring liturgy order, exploding fire crackers, burning paper money, offering incenses, praying, eating, smoking, talking, etc... So many people gathered from all across the country when I visited there. And I was excited too.

From 鹿耳門天后宮

This temple is another landmark of Taiwan to me. And faith of Maju is much interesting phenomena to think much more from now on. I hope I can visit there again.

heavy protest

Along the case of Korea, or much better than Korea, president election in Taiwan was also resulted as a change of regime. Not yet inaugurated, the new government is regarded as "pro" China while the former one is believed as "con." In other words, ruffly classifying, DPP is pro independence, and KMT is not.

Of course there are so many relating factors and matters to be considered. And I may not know much enough about Taiwan. I just see many people withdrew their support with disappointment. Moreover, many young people are not so much interested in heavy agenda such as independence disregarding what "dependence" really means.

Recently I got to know one Taiwanese singing group. According to my friend, they are more famous abroad than in Taiwan. Whatever, they were active and loud provokers for independence of This country. Actually, that group is a heavy metal band. Their costume looks even death or Gothic.
















This is an image of their T-shirt on sale from their website. I lost the address so far. I'll post it when I find it again. The letters in back side means "reversal." And the second letter is purposely printed in the reverse direction. It should be "轉," but reversed as we see.

The number gives me a big impression. It is the number of vote for DPP in the last election. The difference was around two million, but they see hope from five million.

I don't know what will happen in Taiwan after Beijing Olympic. But I think I know what some people will do in Taiwan. That number may not be important indeed. It is important that they will not surrender as long as they are "proud of" it. Yes.

A lot of money to offer

How much bundles of money have you ever seen in your life? Or, did you ever see some news about bank or stock on TV? It's a dream for everybody in the world to see piles of money in their own bedroom. Maybe you can realize that dream if you go this temple on a certain celebration day.

As you see, the piles of baggage are all "money." I'm not lying now. Only the problem is that the color of money is yellow and red. Yes, moneys are standby to be burnt or dedicated to their god(s) at altars of this temple in Tainan city. Peculiarly, this temple's highest god is "One." They worship "One" as well as the other known gods.

So many people gather, worship, wish, burn incenses and draw their fortune with prayer. Different from Churches, those temples and shrines of local folk religions are always open to any believers and visitors. Feast is a festival of not only believers but also merchants nearby and neighbors. I like it. I sometimes think Christianity lost this point which locates and co-exist with local society.

Burning wish

This is one of the most interesting scene I used to see in Taiwan. As I know, there is not that kind of custom in Korea. It's Taoism mixed with folk religion and faith. They buy bunch of yellow paper money and burn at temple, shrine, and street periodically. I can see shopkeeper or crew set a table of feast for their god(s) just in front of shop every half month. They also burn those paper money at the end of ceremony. It seems not different from Sunday worship of a peculiar religion every half of half month. It's the matter of faith, wish, and hope for something. That's people's ordinary life and mind.

Sunny day

Whatever you do, if you feel sleepy, you should take a deep rest, anywhere. I remember it's so sweet when I slept during a short rest inbetween the drill in army. If it's a day of Spring, I cannot resist it.