Head Eastward for Cultural Treat ; Contrasts Taiwan's Bright Lights with Ancient Traditions
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Summary
HE youth took out his cigarette lighter and carefully set fire to a thick bundle of notes. Outside ear-splitting firecrackers were let off to scare away evilbeforeMatsu,goddess of the sea, was paraded around the streets and, in the dark inner area of the temple, someone was wailing.
The scene was a Taoist temple in Tainan, the oldest city in Taiwan, and the notes were no ordinary currency, but ghost money, burned to ensure the deadhaveenough to live on and grant good fortune to their living relatives.See the full content of this document
Extract
Head Eastward for Cultural Treat ; Contrasts Taiwan's Bright Lights with Ancient Traditions
The altar was laden with ghost money and ghost gold,as well as fruit and drinks to sustain the dead. Kneeling in front of the altar were people throwing kidneyshapedblocks of wood to pray to the gods.
Behind Taiwan's economic miracle,bright neon lights and frenetic...See the full content of this document
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