Beitian Temple in Hualien County’s Jian Township held a ceremony to bring blessing to locals last Saturday. A 33-meter-high ladder, about the height of a 12-storey building, whose rungs were made with 108 swords, was erected on the main square. Ten worshipers who applied to take a test to be Taoist masters at the ceremony climbed the ladder’s steps one after another under the supervision of a temple official and a senior Taoist master.
One of the examinees was Lin Ji-chi, a 33-year-old cosmetologist. Lin’s mother is an attendant at the Kanling Temple in Ji-an Township. Lin said that Ji Gong, a divinity who is also known as the “Mad Monk,” had hinted to her mother three to four years ago that she had to take this test. Lin successfully passed her trial last Saturday.
This is the sixth consecutive year that the Beitian Temple blessing ceremony has been held. This year seven men and three women took the sword ladder test. A temple official first climbs up through the “heavenly gate” and onto the dizzyingly high platform at the top of the ladder, where he prays to the gods to grant blessings to local people and throws pieces of paper with auspicious Taoist spells to worshippers on the ground. After praying, he asks the gods’ permission to start the ceremony by casting divination blocks.
Photo: Lin Hsin-han, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者林欣漢
After the ceremony, the 10 worshipers who had to climb the sword ladder did so one step at a time, guided by the senior master. After reaching the platform at the top and worshiping the gods, they cast their divination blocks to the ground until they obtained “divine approval,” a sign that they had passed the test. Thereupon they officially became Taoist masters.
The first person to climb the ladder was Chen Pao-chu, a 55-year-old woman. With bare feet, she started to ascend the ladder of swords. She was almost exhausted halfway, and took a rest while holding on to the ladder, but eventually she succeeded in climbing to the top.
Kang Lai-fa, a temple official, said that Chen had passed the test last year but had kept it secret from her husband. Since her secrecy was contradictory to one of the traditional wifely virtues, which is to help one’s husband and teach the children, she was disqualified. That is why she came back from Kaohsiung to climb the sword ladder again this year.
(LIBERTY TIMES, TRANSLATED BY TAIJING WU)
Photo: Lin Hsin-han, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者林欣漢
花蓮縣吉安鄉北天宮上週六舉行祈安賜福法會，廣場架起三十三公尺、約十二層樓高的一百零八層劍梯，法會中十名參加登劍梯考取法師資格的信徒，在先鋒官和老道長的引導下，一步步完成儀式登頂。
三十三歲的美容師林濟琦則是「指定考生」，三、四年前濟公就透過她在吉安鄉感靈宮服務的母親，示意要她參加考試，上週六也順利通過考驗。
北天宮祈安賜福法會已是連續第六年舉辦，今年共有七男三女參加登劍梯儀式，由先鋒官經「通天門」，攀上高聳入雲的天壇，奏請上蒼賜福地方，並撒下平安符給信眾，擲筊請示上天應允。
祭拜儀式後，十名參加登劍梯儀式的信徒，在資深道長的帶領下，一步步向上爬，登上天壇祭拜後，還需向地面擲得聖筊才算通過考驗，成為法師。
第一個參加登劍梯考驗的是五十五歲的女性陳寶珠，她赤腳開始爬上劍梯，中間幾度體力耗盡，環抱著劍梯休息，最後仍成功登頂。
北天宮住持康來發說，陳寶珠去年已通過試驗，卻因將此事瞞著丈夫，違反相夫教子原則，被取消資格，這次從高雄再來爬一次劍梯。
（自由時報記者林欣漢）
1. rung n.
梯子橫檔；橫檔 (ti1 zi5 heng2 dang3; heng2 dang3)
例: The legs of a chair are stabilized by the rungs that connect them.
(椅子的腳以連接它們的橫檔固定。)
2. hint v.
示意 (shi4 yi4)
例: Timothy hinted at what he wanted for his birthday by mentioning backpacks as often as possible.
(提摩太一有機會就提起背包，這就是他示意生日想要的東西。)
3. thereupon
adv.
於是 (yu2 shi4)
例: I tried to persuade Rachel not to go the party alone, but she wouldn’t listen and left the room. Thereupon I realized I was wasting my breath.
(我企圖說服瑞秋不要自己參加派對，但她不願意聽就離開了房間。於是我發現我在浪費唇舌。)
Where do you want to go for the summer vacation? (1/3) 放暑假你想去哪裡玩？（一） A: What are you searching for on the Internet? B: The summer vacation has begun, so I’m searching for travel destinations. A: Google recently published a list of the most searched places in Taiwan, perhaps you could use it as a reference. B: Let me see. . . How come the top spot is a 7-Eleven? A: 你在網路上搜尋什麼？ B: 開始放暑假了，我在搜尋旅遊的景點。 A: 前陣子Google公布了台灣的年度熱搜地點，或許你可以參考一下。 B: 我看看……榜首怎麼是一家7-Eleven便利商店？ （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Former member of boy band TOP1 Sean Tseng has since gone solo, not only releasing his own records, but also becoming a fitness expert and opening his own fitness studio. He recently took part in the second Genghis Khan Cup National Bodybuilding Cup contest organized by celebrity gym owner Holger Chen, and despite not winning any titles, he says it was still a “bromantic experience.” Sean prepared for the contest by putting himself through three months of rigorous dietary restrictions and intense exercise that made his body as fit and lean as a character from the Ultimate Muscle game series, with
A: According to Google, the most searched place in Taiwan is the Dongchi branch of 7-Eleven in Changhua County’s Lugang Township. B: I would have thought it would be Taipei 101. A: Taipei 101 is the 17th most searched destination. Other locations in the top 10 include Taitung County’s Dawu Township, Baishatun Gong Tian Temple in Miaoli County and Nantou County’s Wuling mountain range. B: That’s great. I’ve been meaning to travel to Taitung for ages. A: 根據Google，台灣熱搜地點第一名，是位於彰化縣鹿港鎮的7-Eleven 東崎門市。 B: 我還以為會是台北101。 A: 台北101排在第十七名，其它像台東縣大武鄉、苗栗縣白沙屯拱天宮、南投縣武嶺都是前十名的景點。 B: 太棒了，我一直很想去台東玩。 （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
電價費率審議會登場，全台連續四年凍漲的電費，在全球燃料價格攀升和烏俄戰爭等因素影響下，將調整電價方案。然而剛進入炎熱的夏季，又是用電的高峰時期，要如何節能省電呢？本次就讓我們來看既環保又省荷包的小撇步，還能學會超實用英文喔！ 1. 在夜晚使用家電 Run appliances that produce heat at night — when it’s cooler. We’re talking appliances like your clothes drier, dishwasher, and oven. (Fox29) （在晚上氣溫較涼爽的時候，使用會產生熱氣的家電用品，例如烘衣機、洗碗機和烤箱。） appliance (n)「電器」是多益測驗的高頻字彙，通常出現在採購、製造、房地產等情境，描述microwave oven「微波爐」、dishwasher「洗碗機」等household appliances 或是 home appliances「家電」，經常搭配動詞install「安裝」。廚房的家電中，較為省電電器應該就是微波爐，或許減少使用瓦斯爐、烤箱對省電將有相當的助益。 According to the advertisement, the apartment is equipped with state-of-the-art appliances.（根據廣告，這間公寓備有最先進的家電。） 2. 拉起窗簾降溫 Simply closing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation can reduce heat in your home.（拉起窗簾和百葉窗做為絕緣體，可降低家中的熱氣。） insulate (v)「阻隔；隔離」通常用來描述隔絕噪音或氣溫，例如冬天時適當的insulate「隔絕」冷空氣，可以避免家中溫度太低。許多冬天穿的厚外套經常會有insulation「防風層」可以阻擋冷空氣，達到保暖的效果。 You can bring down the energy use and cost if you properly insulate your home. （房子適當的隔熱可以降低能源使用和費用。） 3. 自動調溫器 Programmable thermostats can be set, so that your air conditioner run less when you’re sleeping or when you’re at work. （設定自動調溫器，讓你在睡覺或工作時使用少一點的冷氣。） programmable「可編程的」來自program一詞，當動詞時解釋為「設定；編寫程式」，當名詞時則有許多不同的意思，例如「程式」、「節目、節目單」或「計畫、方案」，因此程式編寫可以用programming，「程式設計師」就是programmer，但是要注意的是programmer 發音時的重音是在第一音節，不要念錯。 The information regarding the newly launched recycling program is
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