By Audie Vinci R. Batausa

It was already dark, and the street was in full swing. Several cars were drifting by, zooming past throngs of pedestrians. The crowd swarmed around the different stores at the pavements, making a beeline just to get across. The cold gust of wind blew past me, bringing with it the enticing smell of food from the nearby Raohe Night Market, tickling the nostrils of my always-hungry self.

Yet, all of these turned to a blur as I saw the Ciyou Temple standing in attention.

Located on one of the busiest streets in Taipei, the Ciyou Temple never fails to seduce you with its beauty. It felt like an invisible pair of hands is slowly pulling me towards it. The glow of the incandescent lights seeps through the oriental colors of its walls, enhancing its beveled facade with a golden overcast. Its winged roof was made up of half round tiles and lavishly embellished with statues of mystical dragons and heavenly deities.

Everything stands out with such clarity that it seems that this six-story monument was slowly rising towards the sky.

At a snail’s pace, I walked my way towards the temple as I feasted my eyes on this traditional Chinese architecture. The temple is guarded by a huge stone lion on each side. As if the lions were not enough, each of its six pillars has a sculpture of a snake-like dragon coiled around it, guarding the three portals that serve as the entrance to the temple. Because of how meticulously carved the dragons were, it felt like they could come alive at any moment. Inside were several bright red wooden pillars with golden eaves. Rows of red lanterns hang freely across, bathing the temple with an otherworldly glow.

The temple has a collection of halls that enshrine both Taoist and Buddhist deities. Its walls serve as a gallery of various traditional Chinese art – full of paintings, statues, and bas reliefs portraying the life of the Chinese people as they live in harmony with the gods.

The place was warm with life. Enchanting hymns echoed through the vaulted ceilings as the familiar musky smell of joss sticks enveloped the main shrine room. A small crowd of pilgrims started to form in the main hall. Some of them were uttering Taoist chants or were performing religious rituals as they faced the elaborate altar of the Queen of Heaven, the Goddesss of the Sea, Mazu.

Mazu is the deified form of the mortal, Lin Mu. Born in the straits of Taiwan, she is well known for her strong swimming skill and prowess. It is believed that she has an iron horse, which she uses to roam across the seas to help those that are in distress. There are also written accounts that the goddess would appear to sailors as a warning that an impending storm is coming and that they should postpone their voyage. This made her famous among seafaring communities, making her one of the most popular Chinese deities, with 500+ temples dedicated to her in Taiwan alone.

Enclosed in a glass cabinet, the life-sized image of the goddess is dressed in a burgundy-colored robe with golden ornaments. On her head is an elaborate tasseled crown, with beads partially covering her rounded face. Her facial expression, with her almond eyes looking downward and her lips forming an enigmatic smile, felt as calm as a soft whisper or a loving touch.

Legend has it that when you are facing a great difficulty, you can call her by her name, and she will immediately cross the oceans to come to your aid.

It made perfect sense, as life is a great big sea of uncertainty. It could be placid one moment, then tempestuous the next. It is powerful and unstoppable force that we have no control over, with its waves reaching new heights every day, slowly rising to devour those who are helpless. Some of us find ourselves already lost in these uncharted waters – freely floating in the tides of life, waiting for the right inspiration to come our way. There are also times when we feel that we are already certain of which journey to take, our eyes fixed on the horizon, but life can be so devious; its strong waves can throw us any which way, forcing us to totally change our course and just drift away.

As night falls and the pilgrims start to leave the temple, I gazed upon the image of the goddess for the last time. I humbly bowed my head as a sign of respect and implored her intercession. I prayed that I may swim against the strong tides of life – that I may be brave enough to plunge into its depths and come out feeling more alive than ever. After all, I am just a mere creature of the sea.