Out of the more than 4,000 participants at this year’s Spring Festival divination block-throwing contest at Hsinchu County’s Chihhe Temple, 303 people went on to compete in the finals on Feb. 9. Although it was the first time to compete in a divination block-throwing contest for Chen Hsu Li-ching — a woman from Hsinchu County’s Jhudong Township — she beat all odds by throwing 10 shengjiao — divine answer positions — in a row, taking home the grand prize — a golden horse that weighs 12 liang (1.2kg) and has an estimated market value of NT$760,000.
Chen Hsu’s parents live nearby the temple, which is in Sinfong Township. She moved to Jhudong Township after getting married and visits the temple every year during the Lunar New Year to pray. Chen Hsu did not take part in either of the divination block-throwing contests during the previous two years. This year, however, was her first year to try her luck, and she ended up making it to the finals. Joined by her husband, Chen Hsu went to the temple again on Feb. 9, and unexpectedly threw 10 consecutive shengjiao positions, receiving thunderous cheers from onlookers.
Chen Ching-ho, secretary-general of the temple’s managing committee, says that this year’s contest was full of climaxes. First, a man named Lee Wen-huan threw seven shengjiao, and then a man named Jao Chan-cheng threw eight shengjiao. It was entirely unforeseen that Chen Hsu would toss out 10 shengjiao in a row. The other two winners went home with only the first and second-prize automobiles.
Photo: Tung Chen-kuo, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者佟振國
The 50-something Chen Hsu says that she is just a regular housewife and that there is no way she could possibly understand the techniques for throwing shengjiao positions. It was entirely by the good graces of the Wang Yeh deity that she could have been so lucky, Chen Hsu says, adding that as to what she will do with the golden horse after winning it so unexpectedly, she will take some time to ponder it before making a decision, and will have a dinner party with friends and family to share her good fortune.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
新竹縣池和宮的新春擲筊比賽吸引四千多人參加,有三○二人進入二月九日的決賽,第一次參加擲筊比賽的新竹縣竹東鎮婦人陳許麗卿,以十聖筊贏得重十二兩、目前市價約七十六萬元的特獎金馬。
陳許麗卿的娘家就在新豐鄉池和宮附近,嫁到竹東鎮的她每年過年時都會回來拜拜,前兩年舉辦的擲筊比賽她沒有參加,今年第一次試手氣就進入決賽,二月九日她在先生的陪同下再回來碰碰運氣,沒想到連擲十個聖筊,現場歡聲雷動。
Photo: Tsai Meng-shang, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者蔡孟尚
池和宮管理委員會總幹事陳清合說,今年的擲筊活動可說是高潮迭起,一開始先是有李文環擲出七聖筊、饒展誠擲出八聖筊,沒想到,陳許麗卿一口氣擲出十聖筊,讓他們兩人只能獲得都是汽車一輛的頭獎和二獎。
五十多歲的陳許麗卿說,她是單純的家庭主婦,不可能懂得什麼擲筊的技巧,都是池府王爺的保佑,她才如此幸運,意外獲得的這匹金馬要如何處理,她要好好思考才能決定,但會先宴請親友和他們分享喜悅。
(自由時報記者蔡孟尚)
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