Yesterday we were able to visit a Taoist temple in the heart of Taipei. It was a surreal experience to make our way through the crowded, incense-filled temple as people prostrated themselves, lit candles, read prayers, and threw moon-shaped divination blocks. The mood was somber and reverent, but the activity was frenzied and chaotic. Worshipers young and old brought offerings of fruit, money, art, and personal affects to appease their dead ancestors and various gods. Despite the fact that we were a fairly large group of Americans with video cameras and cell phones, no one seemed to pay us any mind. It was as if we were invisible to the focused young people there to pray about a troubled relationship and to the older people there to offer thanks for the arrival of their newest grandchild.
