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Craig July 31st, 2007

In Wandering in Lugang part 1, we left off at the Yangciao Park. Close by, on Cingyun Rd, is the Di Zang Wang Temple. Built in 1815, this temple is dedicated to the Di Zang Wang Boddhisattva, who is worshipped as the rescuer of the dead who are suffering in hell. Di Zang Wang is better known as the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, although the Japanese call him Jizo and the Tibetans, Sai Nyingpo. In the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , made by Taiwanese director Ang Lee, Di Zang Wang appears in the guise of a Ch’an (zen) master carrying his mendicant’s staff, where he challenges the boy, Zhang Ziyi on the mezzanine of the hotel. Some suggest that the hotel in the movie stands for one of the Buddhist hells, but that is way beyond the scope of this article. Shown below is the gate to the temple, and the temple itself at the end of the courtyard.

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Leaving the Di Zang Wang temple and moving away from the tourist trail, it’s time to do a little exploring in the outskirts of town. Lugang is bounded to the south by the town of Fuxing, which is separated from Lugang by the Fulu River. The Arch Bridge across the river, on Yenhai Rd Sec 5, is quite picturesque, and the river itself is the scene for the annual Dragon Boat races.

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Running beside the river and in the streets and lanes on the edge of town is where a lot of Lugang’s industry can be seen. Small factories vie with rice fields for space, all separated by small alleys barely wide enough for a single car, lined with crumbling old brick homes.

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Many of these alleys have an abandoned, neglected feel to them. Houses left to slowly decay, furniture rusting away outside.

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Yet a short walk brings you back into the center of the town, and the Tian Ho Mazu temple. I’ve previously written about Mazu, so I’ll direct you here to read the background on how a woman became a Goddess. Lugang’s Tian Ho temple was built in 1725 and originally called the Jiujhu Temple. It houses a Mazu statue known as Mei Jhou Ma that was brought to Lugang from Fujian, China. The temple is always lively, both with devout worshippers and curious tourists. A small museum was established in 1989 at the temple. Called the Mazu Folklore Culture Museum, it serves to collect and display various historical, cultural and religious artifacts.

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The Tian Ho temple is surrounded by market stalls, food vendors and restaurants. A great excuse to feast on a Taiwanese delicacy, oyster omelette (蚵仔煎). The dish consists of an omelette with a filling primarily composed of small oysters. Starch is mixed into the egg batter, giving the resulting egg wrap a thicker consistency. Depending on regional variation, a savory sauce may then be poured on top of the omelette for added taste. These omelettes are probably my favorite food in Taiwan.

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On that note, I’ll leave it there for now. Look for part 3 in the next few days, where I’ll show you a few more historical sites from the old market and old streets.

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• Misc. , Photoessay , Photos , Taiwan , Travel
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