After being single for a whole century, the Earth God at the Fusan Temple in Houlong Township of Miaoli County recently married a black-haired young Earth Goddess. The temple’s management committee held a wedding banquet with over 100 tables. Some followers even donated “incense money” to symbolize cash gifts congratulating the god on marrying the beauty.
According to vice committee chairman Lu Tung, Fusan is a century-old temple that worships “Fu Te Cheng Shen,” known as the Earth God. Not long ago, Hsieh Kun-cheng, a local resident who works in Taichung, told Lu when he returned to the town that the god of the temple appeared in his dream to give a message, saying that he wanted to marry someone who is “young, with black hair, a slender figure, and an oval face.
Lu said that he and other committee members were suspicious at first, so they attempted to ask the Earth God directly whether he wanted to get married by throwing “divination blocks,” and the god’s answer was “yes” for three consecutive times. As a result, the committee decided to follow his instruction and held a divine wedding.
The Fusan Temple hired a sculptor from a Buddhist sculpture shop to do the job. Within three months, he created a 39.39cm statue made of high-quality camphor wood according to the Earth God’s requirements. The statue of the young Earth Goddess with black hair also had a dignified way of sitting. Recently, the ceremony for her statue placement was held at an auspicious time, so the god and goddess could accompany each other while protecting the whole town together.
The wedding ceremony followed the traditional customs, as the followers escorted the Earth Goddess to the temple for the wedding with a sedan chair. They beat drums, struck gongs, and set off firecrackers along the way in great excitement. Also, before the placement of the goddess’ statue, there was a ceremony of striding across a fire pot.
The Fusan Temple’s sister temples nationwide all sent their representatives to share the joy on that day. The local residents also celebrated it enthusiastically. Some followers even donated “incense money” as cash gifts for normal weddings. It was fun and had a great sense of genuine human warmth.
(LIBERTY TIMES, TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG)
苗栗縣後龍鎮的福三宮土地公「打光棍」一百年後，日前迎娶黑髮的「幼齒」土地婆；福三宮管理委員會席開百桌「囍宴」，有信眾捐香油錢象徵紅包，祝賀土地公有美嬌娘相伴。
福三宮管理委員會主委呂銅表示，福三宮約有一百年歷史，主祀福德正神，今年七月，在台中工作的後龍鎮子弟謝坤成返鄉告訴他，福三宮土地公託夢表示，想要迎娶土地婆，並訂出「年輕、黑髮、體態纖瘦、瓜子臉」的擇偶條件。
呂銅說，他和管委會其它委員都聽得半信半疑，眾人虔誠向土地公擲筊求證，詢問土地公是否真的想要娶妻？結果連續擲出三個聖筊，管委會決定遵照土地公的指示，籌辦「神界囍事」。
福三宮請佛像雕刻店的師傅，依照土地公的擇偶標準，花了三個月，用上等樟木雕製高度一尺三寸、黑髮、坐姿端莊的年輕土地婆神像，日前選定良辰吉時舉辦安座大典，讓土地公有伴相陪，和土地婆一起庇佑鄉里。
這場迎娶儀式依民間傳統婚禮，用鑾轎將土地婆迎回，沿途敲鑼打鼓、放鞭炮，非常熱鬧；土地婆在進廟安座之前，還有民間的「過火盆」儀式。
福三宮在各地的結盟姊妹廟宇，當天都派員分享喜悅，居民也熱鬧慶祝，有信眾還捐香油錢當做「吃囍宴的紅包」，既有趣也有人情味。（自由時報記者彭健禮）
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