Hin-tien Temple

Located in central Taipei city, Hin-tien Temple is one of the biggest and most famous temples in northern Taiwan. It is not crowded by tourists, though, as it is not famed for age or its architecture; it was set up in 1968 with an elegant but primitive and unsophisticated style. It is always crowded by disciples who seek god's help on a variety of wishes, from peace, health, wealth, to career or academic success.

The temple serves Guangong, a Chinese general some 1,800 years ago who are famed for his loyalty, righteousness, herculean fighting and heroism...

Front view (from outside the outer wall)


Vertical...


Another angle


Mail box


Side door


The inscribed board was calligraphy of the late high official and calligrapher Yu Yo-jen who invented "modern running script"...


Main hall in smoke


A taoist chanting prayer on her knees in front of the main hall


Worshipers


Ceiling of the canopy has been blacken by smoke


Corner of the canopy


People waiting to be soothed

Soothing is one of the traditional Taiwanese tricks to calm down kids that often snivel for no obvious reasons.



Last picture, red flowers...


I took the pictures under the scorching sun near noon, so the contrasts are high in most cases. But the film, Fuji Natura 1600, is pretty scotopic, explicating dark areas very well, though it looks very grainy if enlarged. Next time I shall bring some high-speed black-and-white film and try to catch a more lambent light.