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Praying in Taiwan: Xiahai Chenghuang Temple (éœžęµ·åŸŽéšå»Ÿ)

Xiahai Chenghuang Temple (by Solomon203 via Wikimedia Commons ) In February of 2012 a friend of mine took me to a famous Daoist temple in Taipei, Xiahai Chenghuang Temple (éœžęµ·åŸŽéšå»Ÿ). I had asked her to show it to me because I wanted to pray to the Chinese God of Love, Yuelao. I am not a spiritual person, but I thought it would be interesting to have a first-hand experience of local religious beliefs.  Though I am not a Christian I was raised in a Christian (Catholic) society, and I have been influenced by it, no matter whether I rationally believe in that religion or not. From the point of view of Christendom, a Chinese temple may remind of an ancient Roman or Greek temple. It is a colourful building with symbols and statues. The sort of images Christians used to reject as "eidola", i.e. depictions of demons made by humans. The Christian God has nothing human. He has no shape and is beyond human rational understanding. He therefore cannot be depicted in sacre