Races to place the first joss stick into the incense pot are returning to Taiwanese temples after disappearing during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the traditional event to take place on Lunar New Year’s Day.
The return of the event has been announced by officials at Grand Matsu Temple in Tainan, Dajia Jenn Lann Temple in Taichung and Fusing Temple in Yunlin County’s Siluo Township (西螺).
The easing of COVID-19 prevention measures, including restrictions on large gatherings such as religious events, has assisted the return of worshipers to the traditional practice.
Photo: Chan Shi-hung, Taipei Times
Worshipers have also been invited to enter several temples to pray with incense sticks throughout Lunar New Year’s Day.
Beigang Chaotian Temple in Yunlin County, Yunglien Temple in New Taipei City, Luermen Matsu Temple in Tainan, Zinan Temple in Nantou County and Fuan Temple in Pingtung County are among those welcoming back worshipers in large numbers.
“Every worshiper’s first incense stick and prayer for the new year will receive a blessing from deities if you have a sincere heart,” the temple administrators said in a statement.
New Taipei City’s Luzhou Yunglien Temple is to distribute “lucky coins” on Lunar New Year’s Eve, and hold a divination session with wooden fortune sticks to determine people’s prospects, but it is not holding a joss stick event.
“As space is limited, we cannot host the race,” temple governing board chairman Chen Hung-chang (陳宏昌) said.
“Instead, I will represent the worshipers to place the first joss stick to prevent frenzied activity in a crowd,” he said.
The temple is to hand out 1,200 “lucky coins” at 11:40pm, and the divination is to take place at 11:40pm on New Year’s Eve, Chen said.
Beigang Chaotian Temple likewise is not holding the joss stick event for safety reasons.
“Everyone is welcome to pray and put in their first incense any time on Lunar New Year’s Day, but we do not encourage worshipers to run. It is dangerous and is only meaningful when worshipers can pray and burn incense safely in the temple,” governing board chairman Tsai Yung-te (蔡??) said on Thursday.
Chaotian Temple is to close at 8:10pm on Lunar New Year’s Eve and open the following day at 11:15am for worshipers to pray and practice the rituals. People will be able to place their joss stick in the incense pot at that time.
However, other temples are able to hold the traditional race and hand out special gifts.
The winner of the event at Fusing Temple is to receive a special wooden tablet with an inscription, a cash prize, a Matsu goddess ceramic figurine and stationery items. It will also distribute 8,800 red envelopes containing a US dollar bill for good fortune.
Zinan Temple is to distribute “surprise lucky coins” at various times, which are to be announced on its public address system throughout the holiday period.
The gate to Dajia Jenn Lann Temple is to open at midnight on Lunar New Year’s Eve for people to race to place the first joss stick. The first three to the incense pot are to receive various-sized Matsu figurines with a gold coating, worth NT$18,000, NT$8,000 and NT$4,800 for first, second and third place respectively.
Grand Matsu Temple is also holding its race at midnight, and is to hand out 7,500 “joyful white rabbit” lucky charms to mark the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit.
Temple chairman Tseng Chi-lien (曾吉連) said worshipers can crouch under the main palanquin for the goddess Matsu, a traditional ritual to receive blessings and good fortune, while reminding participants to wear a mask while taking part.
For devotees at Grand Matsu Temple of Tainan, officials said the gates will open at midnight, but it will have group prayer ritual, and will not hold the race for first joss stick for the third straight year. The temple plans to hand out 3,600 “Matsu Goddess lucky coins” to mark the Year of the Rabbit.
Fuan Temple in Pingtung County’s Checheng Township (車埕) is to focus on a prayer ritual, burning incense sticks at midnight, and has 4,000 “lucky coins” in red envelopes to hand out, as well as a further 5,000 to distribute each day from Lunar New Year’s Day to the fifth day.
The temple will not hold its traditional sweet dumpling tasting event, but will draw prizes for worshipers on New Year’s Day, temple secretary-general Chen Ming-hsiu (陳明秀) said, adding that prizes include a television and other household appliances.
Additional reporting by Hsien Chieh-yu, Chang Hsuan-tse, Wang Shu-hsiu and Tsai Tsung-hsien
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