Taipei Times
Date: Feb 06, 2019
By: Chen Feng-li and Lee Jung-ping / Staff reporters
An estimated 70,000 people flocked to the Zihnan Temple (紫南宮) in Nantou County
Zihnan Temple director Chuang Chiu-an shows a set of two special coins that the temple in Nantou County distributed to visitors yesterday, the first day of the Year of the Pig.
Photo: CNA
yesterday, the first day of the Year of the Pig, to receive special coins and pray for wealth and fortune.
A famous Earth God temple in the county’s Jhushan Township (竹山), the temple traditionally distributes a “mother coin” (錢母) — which is believed to attract wealth and bring in more money throughout the year — to visitors on the first day of the lunar year.
A family from Keelung, surnamed Tsai (蔡), arrived at the temple at about 4am yesterday and were among the first in the line, which extended nearly 7km.
This year was the sixth time that the family has visited the temple for the coins, said 11-year-old Tsai Liang-kai (蔡良鍇), who was the first in line to receive one.
He added that the temple’s director, Chuang Chiu-an (莊秋安), gave him a red envelope containing NT$2,000.
The temple this year prepared more than 50,000 “mother coins,” Chuang said, adding that the first 2,000 people in line qualified for a draw, with prizes such as gold ingots, gold rings and cash of NT$600 to NT$4,800. [FULL STORY]