Bwa Bwei (擲筊) Divination Blocks, Moon Boards, Moon Blocks, Poe or Bwei (筊, 筶, 盃 或者 杯)

Getting married and want to know if you are marrying the right person? Looking for a high school friend you haven’t heard from for thirty years? Wondering where your wallet is? Should you sell your house?, and when? Health, wealth, career and love. These are all plausible questions for the gods. When facing a difficult decision many Taiwanese will turn to the gods for answers. One of the most common methods is to simply ask a god yourself through the mediation of “Bwei”(筊) those, often red, new moon shaped blocks always heard clacking onto the temple floors.

Here is a simple guide to using divination blocks, which of course varies slightly from temple to temple and region to region:

Sincerity. Be sincere in your belief and questions. If you really want to get an answer, you will. If you are insincere you are wasting your time as well as the god’s time.

Find a suitable temple. While the Jade Emperor is the most powerful god, He may not necessarily be the best for you. Find a temple that you feel comfortable with and have faith in.

Pose the question several days in advance. Preferably on a red piece of paper, write your question and all necessary details such as your name address, “ba tz”(八字) (date/time of birth) and any other information pertinent to the question and place it on the altar for the god to see. This will give the god time to check things out; going to the new house if you are considering moving, or checking out your future spouse if you are contemplating marriage.

Burn incense.燒香 When you return to the temple after giving the god time to consider your question some incense should be put in the temple urns as offerings. A standard number would be six sticks. Three outside for The Jade Emperor and three inside for the temple gods. Squares of three (3, 6, 12, 24…) should be used. This offering demonstrates respect and reverence.

“Tieu Wen Chiam”(籤) Draw a Fortune Stick. Gathering the tops of all the fortune sticks in your hands give a quick lift, twist and drop motion, mix the sticks and choose a stick that stands out. This stick will hopefully contain the answers to your question. Any method of choosing a stick would suffice but it seems this is the method most often employed. Place the stick on the altar in front of the god.

“Bwa bwei”(擲筊) Now you are ready to throw (bwa) the divining blocks (Bwei). Begin by bowing respectfully to the god, state your name and address down to the street name and number. Sometimes, especially with foreigners, a person is hard to find and brothers, parents and ancestors names are often required to find the identity of the questioner. The god will not give an answer unless absolutely sure of the identity of the questioner. Remind the god of your question and clasp the divining blocks in both hands and raise them to shoulder height in a praying position and toss them to the ground.

Read the bwei.

Both blocks up(3X) 笑筊：即正正（陰陰）= You have asked an odd question. Doesn’t know how to answer. Change your question; and choose another stick or begin the whole procedure again after considering what you have asked incorrectly.

One up one down(3X) 聖筊：即一正一反（一陰一陽）= Yes, you have the right stick.

Both blocks down(3X) 陰 筊：即反反= No, choose another stick and repeat the procedure.

The blocks must land the same way three times consecutively to be valid and there is no limit to the amount of times you throw until you get an answer (three in a row). The god will guide you through the bwei until you get the correct stick. After every toss your gratitude should be expressed and your question should be reiterated.

Example: Toss. One up one down. “Thank you, I appreciate your guidance. With deep respect I ask again: are you sure this is the right stick to help me in my dilemma?” Toss. One up one down. “OK it seems I’m on the right track in finding my answer, I appreciate this very much. Are you 100% sure this is the right stick?” Toss again. One up one down. Sincerely, “Guan Di Yeh, thank you for your direction and help.

Your Answer. Now, assuming your question was asked clearly and sincerely, you should have your stick. Take the Bamboo fortune stick to the clerk and you will get your answer on a piece of paper that corresponds to the number on the stick.That’s it. The fortune papers have many answers in categories such as business, love, health, etc. and one will answer your question. Your answer may be very clear–don’t go to the hospital in November–, or a little vague–go north-west to find what you are looking for. There are nine different grades of fortunes using all the combination pairs of up(上上)-good, middle(中中)-neutral and down(下下)-bad. With up-up being the best fortune and down-down being the worst. If you asked how you would deal with the traffic in Taiwan and you got a down-down fortune you would likely be hit by a truck when you left the temple.

Some notes:

*For this service there is no fee but a small sum in the temple donation box is the usual way to show your gratitude for a useful answer.

*When asking questions of ancestors or others who are not gods, divining blocks may not be used, coins should be used in their stead. Heads=up.(although Jordan states divining blocks may be used with ancestors)

*If you are having trouble getting an answer you will need to rework your question as you go. The god is trying to guide you to the right question. It is up to you to find the right question. I was told you need to try to guess the gods thinking.

*”Bwa bwei” is one of those Taiwanese words that, when you ask a Taiwanese how to say in Mandarin Chinese you will probably stump about 80 percent, well here in the south anyway.

*An excellent article on Taiwanese divination blocks may be found here:Taiwanese Poe Divination: Statistical Awareness and Religious Belief where David K. Jordan goes into a fascinating dichotomy that is often present in Taiwanese religion.

*Or for a much more scholarly and informative account of Poe, read The Poe in the divination chapter of  David K Jordan’s excellent “Gods Ghosts and Ancestors” . Now online!!!

Fireflies in Namasia 螢火蟲

Fireflies on mountain road near old MinChuan Village.

Oops, too small to see fireflies. Will upload bigger files when I get some time.

Mountain House 2

continued from here.

Hesham came up and helped me with the tin roof.

Dahu lent me a gorgeous tarp so the rains won’t destroy the wood.

Looking north.

Four roof trusses are starting to give the house its final shape.

Our Mountain House

I am now building my fourth shelter on our land in Namasiya. the first was a tarp strung over trees, the second a bamboo structure that is now back to the earth. I wholly support the Aboriginal maxim that bamboo houses must be lived in or they will be destroyed by the elements. The third structure was built quite well. I used all second-hand wood and built similar to Canadian woodhouse framing standards where possible. It is still standing, but unfortunately it is standing on our neighbors land. When we bought the land we had it measured and it was indeed the three ‘fen‘ we paid for. We didn’t realize we shoud have had a survey done. our neighbor did and our land’s boundaries were not the ancient rock walls and betel nut trees that we were told but had in fact moved considerably. Our small house, bathroom and planned kitchen were completely built on our neighbors land.

Our intentions for this house are to build it very cheaply, as environmentally friendly as possible and be easy to disassemble, much like the last except for the dissassembling part.

My brother-in-laws work on a road crew. They helped us get a cement truck in.  Biung and the driver are in the picture. Much easier and faster than mixing by hand. Would have probably taken me half a year to finish the foundation. They also ‘borrowed’ the nice wire meshes.

Dahu puts the finishing touches on the cement. Vaji inspects the rock wall.

Anoo helped me put the six main posts up.

The view looking east. The valley to the left is the Long Feng Waterfall valley.  I have one neighbor, his house can be seen in the background.

We now have the beams up. It’s still pretty unstable.

Eric and Carl came up to help me mix cement and move rocks.

We got a huge ‘corner stone’ in that wouldn’t have been possible alone.

Got some roof beams up and a loft level floor.

Built up the rock walls a bit, too.

Yenshui Beehive Fireworks Festival (鹽水蜂炮)

I’ll start with some photos then slowly add some text.

If you don’t know what Yenshui is, this article by Steven Crook explains it well.

Next year’s festival falls on a Sunday, so promises to be big. Festival information can be found on The War Temple’s website or the  “Taiwan Festivals” website. To get a good feel of the festival, check out New York filmmaker Glen Chin’s trailer to his documentary in progress at: www.AFestivalForTheAges.com

A “fire shower” often before the wall comes out. One of the few easy things to photograph.

The intricately fused wall loaded with bottle rockets looses its payload on the people standing in front of it.

This small but furious wall set off later in the evening was a joy to photograph because there was an empty field between the salvo and my camera.A palanquin bearer dances in a barrage of firecrackers so his clothing is less likely to catch fire and it tends to ease the pain.

A joss is paraded over firecrackers before the wall is set off.A participant stands in front of an angry hive of bottle rockets.Palanquin bearers brace themselves for the onslaught in the early evening light.More of the same.

A wall spews its load into the crowd.A spent wall begins to shoot its load upwards and the smoke begins to clear.A joss on palanquin- set up-joss protected by tin, mesh and plexiglass-palanquin bearers ready for actionfirecrackers-rockets-more rockets-and more rockets (I was still wearing day shorts and tee.  This was an early and unexpected wall. Got belted by some stray rockets, probably the trails seen in the picture. Drew blood. Happy it didn’t get me in the eye, or worse, my camera)The Aftermath. A newspaper said that 150 tons of firework detritus was cleaned up off the streets the following morning.

It’s Eric’s year.The town is well worth wandering around.A yue chin player-san he yuan-catholic church-banyan growing on old train station buildingWar God-war god temple-palanquin-streets in daytime

Five fire trucks ready for action-wall, ready for action-teapot, ready for action-inside of wall

Jung Yuan Pu Du 中元普渡

I originally wrote a version of this hoping to publish in the China Post, but it seems unlikely they will use it. It’s not really a travel article, and it is losing relevance fast as ghost month draws to an end. I haven’t posted for a while…so, here it is. (I’ll get some new pictures up sometime too).

Pu Du is a sacrificial ceremony for feeding ghosts often seen at the beginning of temple festivals to placate ghosts with no heirs to care for them. Jung Yuan Pu Du traditionally falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. However, as this writer belatedly discovered last year, the celebrations are not rigidly held on this particular day by all temples. In fact, most temples in Tainan that this writer went to on the fifteenth had held their celebrations earlier in the month.  Also, ‘celebrations’ is perhaps a little overstated as the observance is generally a somber affair, but the rite of Pu Du is certainly one of the more interesting among Taiwanese religious observances.

 

Jung Yuan Pu Du could simply be explained as the climax of ghost month, and as such, an explanation of Jung Yuan Pu Du should begin with an explanation of ghost month. Ghost month lasts for the whole seventh month in the lunar calendar (this year’s ghost month began on the first of August and will end on the 30th of August)  and is similar to western Halloween’s Celtic origins, in that it is a time when the gates to the ghost world open and ghosts freely roam the mortal world for a period of time. However, in contrast to Halloween’s modern form of donning costumes and trick or treating, Pu Du is a more reverential and solemn affair. The ghosts without descendants to feed them are called “wandering souls (孤魂野鬼)” as well as many other euphemistic names including; “the answering men (應公)”, “the hordes of old men (大眾爺)”, “the justice men (義民爺)”, “the Lao Ta men( 老大公)”, “the good men (萬善爺)”, but most commonly “the good brothers (好兄弟).” Obviously, one wouldn’t want to call them a less than flattering name like ghosts or demons and risk their wrath. The good brothers are blamed for many of society’s ills and must be placated in order to have a more harmonious society. Placation comes in the form of feasts and chanting.

Further, Pu Du may be split into three parts: inviting the ghosts, feeding them and reading the sutras (誦經)and finally sending them away again. For the invitation, after the gates are opened, lanterns are hung to guide the ghosts to the temples where there is food. The temples must be cautious however, for if too many lanterns are hung attracting too many ghosts, and not enough food is supplied, this could anger the spirits, precipitating in a bad year. The offering of food would be the most important part of the Pu Du rite. Temples will have feasts for the ghosts, but the majority of the feeding would be done by the Taiwan populace by setting up tables full of food in front of workplaces or homes and burning incense and ghost money. Other rites worth noting are Chiang Gu (搶孤) or “stealing of ghosts” in which people compete to feed the most ghosts assuring themselves of an auspicious year and Ilan holds a competition where people scale greasy poles to get flags. Finally, the gates are closed on dusk of the 29^th day and lanterns are taken down. This day would be accompanied by more feasts for the wandering souls and some temples invite the god Chung Kuei (鍾馗) to assure the good brothers do in fact return, thus keeping the people safe from their mischievous ways.

 

Temples devoted to You Ying Gong (有應公),  a god unique to Taiwan, are good places to observe Jung Yuan Pu Du rites and can be found in cities all over Taiwan . You Yin Gung is alternately called Jin Dou Gung (金公), Da Mu Gung, Wan Yin Gung (萬應公), Pu Du Gung (普渡公), Lao Da Gung (老大公), Wan Shan Gung (萬善公), Da Cung Yeh (大眾爺)and Yi Ming Yeh (義民爺). Early immigrants to Taiwan faced many hardships such as  plagues, savages or the dangerous crossing from the mainland and many died. Worried that those without ancestors to care for them would come back as ghosts and do harm, their bones were collected and put in jars and worshipped in temples built around these bones. These bones became collectively known as You Ying Gung.

 

a link: ghost month

Ji Gong道濟禪師, 濟公~The Drunk Monk(a bit more)

He goes by many names. Commonly known as Ji Gong (Chee Gong), Dao Ji(Daoji) and Ji Gong Huo Fuo. Also; Master Ji, Rinpoche Ji Gong, Li Xiuyuan, Hu Yin (Recluse from the Lake) and Elder Fang Yuan (Square Circle) and colloquially; The Mad Monk, The Drunk Monk and The Crazy Monk.

Ji Gong, along with Chi Yeh, Ba Yeh, Ba Jia Jiang, San Tai Tz etc. are certainly the most commonly seen figures in marching troupes during street parades and festivals here in Taiwan. Ji Gong is also one of the better known and understood gods by the general populace due to the popular TV series Ji Gong. Surprisingly there is very little English literature about him. In my three main Taiwanese folk religion references (one is English, two are Chinese) he is only mentioned in one, and then only in passing. Apparently the most influential work about Jigong is the 評演濟公傳(1898-1900)Pingyan Jigong Chuan, which has Ji Gong helping the poor and righting wrongs; much like a magical Chinese Robin Hood who is a martial arts master. When I asked about Ji Gong at a Taoist temple, I was told he was a Buddhist god, at a Buddhist temple on the same day I was told he was a Taoist figure. This follows Taiwanese folk religion in general, but it seems Ji Gong’s place in the pantheon is more murky than most.

Belying his popularity amongst Taiwanese, Ji Gong ranks only as a minor deity in the Chinese god pantheon. Ji Gong(1130-1209), was born a mortal, Li Xiu Yuan, to parents who were unable to have children yet, obviously, had one anyway. It is said that upon his birth in a temple, a statue of Mahakasyapa fell off its throne, signifying that the luohan had descended to earth. After his parents death he entered the monastic life in the Ling Yin Temple in Hangzhou. Differing from other monks, Li Xiu Yuan ate meat, drank wine and basically spurned the vinaya (traditonal code for monastics). For this and other eccentric behaviour, Li Xiu Yuan was expelled from the monastery.

For the remainder of his life, Li Xiu Yuan wandered from village to village in the coastal parts of Zhejiang 浙江 helping people. Through his good deeds, compassion and continued cultivation of Buddhism he gained magic powers. He died at the Jing Ci monastery on May 14th (solar-17 June 1207. Not long after his death, Ji gong was deified in Taoism and later recognized in Buddhism.

Some other interesting things about Ji Gong is his ties to the boxers, Taiwanese spirit-writing, spirit-possesion and spirit painting. As well as gambling. I am planning a Ji Gong temple trip around KHH and Tainan counties with a friend to find out more about this colorful fellow.

It’s a Boy!

My wife

Alas

Her stomach

Our boy at one day

Vilian

The day after

Our first boy, Vaji, at 1 year 6 months.

On The Beach~William Mellot

William, a Flickr friend of mine will be having a photography show at Hud La Voos on the 28th of June. Details above. Some great photography, well worth checking out. Photographs and info below:

they leave their dead to rot kodak tmax 100 2300

a can in the sand ilford delta 100 2800

a message refused ilford delta 100 3300

a question or a threat ilford delta 100 3000

an investigation kodak tmax 2100

and we all fall down provia 100f 4000

broken moments delta 100 2000

flapping has ceased provia 100f 3000

Not too sure what happened to all the photos below, but just as well, come to the show and see them live. Much more impressive.

home ilford delta 100 2100

introverted provia 100f 3800

once more we remember provia 100f 2600

orifice provia 100f 4000

rearing ilford delta 100 4000

sand ideas ilford delta 100 2800

tasty ilford delta 100 2200

the vertical shell kodak tmax 3800

William is a self proclaimed camera geek who is never to be found without a camera. His photographs are an exploration of color, theme and subject. In ‘On The Beach’ William comes out with a quietly introspective body of work. Of his photographic subjects in this series William says “for most people these things are often just something to step over, garbage. With this series I ‘m interested in examining things that we often ignore and transforming the way we see them. In these photographs everyday washed up objects become both what they are and possibly what they aren’t. Sense of scale and size are often challenged by the macro lens and the way things appear”. William’s photographs pose many questions, of which he says “answers are open to each viewer’s individual interpretation”. Where the photos are quiet and unassuming, the titles speak volumes. He says the titling process comes easily, noting he doesn’t want to lead the viewer, but prefers to give a starting point. Some are funny, some are simple and some are deep, but all are decidedly poignant and relevant.

All shots in the series were shot with the Holga 120N using close-up filters. Since focus with the viewfinder is impossible with the Holga, he has tied a string to the camera marked with the focus distance. All photographs were shot in a single day at Tainan’s Gold Beach. Objects were shot as found. Nothing was moved or planted in the sand for compositional reasons. Three different types of film were used: Fuji Provia 100F Slide Film, Kodak Tri-X Black and White Film and Kodak Tmax Black and White Film. The slide film was cross-processed E6->C41(slide film processed in C41(negative) chemistry).

links: The Real Taiwan INCKU William’s Blog William on Flickr

Ji Gong-The Drunk Monk

Just a quick post before I go to bed. I promised these people I would post their pictures. Went to Nan Kun Shen for Wang Yeh’s Birthday celebrations last Sunday. Sadly, I was too late. The previous two days had been hopping as was the previous weekend. But quiet wasn’t necessarily bad. There was still a steady procession of worshippers and I could stop and talk with them without being worried about missing some action elsewhere. A friendly lady introduced me to Ji Gong. I was quite apprehensive as he was busy healing people, but she had no such qualms and shoved me in front of him. He told me to take lots of photos and he wanted to see them. Unfortunately it was very difficult light so I have nothing stunning. Here they are:

Thanks for the nice opportunity to take photos of you.

Their temple is in Chia Yi and I will post their address, as they asked, when I find it.

Will write something more interesting about Ji Gong, one of my favorite gods, when I have more time. I’m also hoping to follow up on this Ji Gong as he seemed to be a strong healer. Alas, my wife, is now in her last couple of weeks of pregnancy and I am having to pick up all the slack around the shop.

P.S. My wife’s name is Alas, so that comma is actually in the right place.