《TAIPEI TIMES》 Yunlin temple unveils ‘garlic turtle’

By Chan Shih-hung and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Chen An Temple in Yunlin County’s Jioucyong Township （九穹） on Thursday unveiled an effigy of a turtle made from sacks of garlic weighing 6 tonnes at the “birthday” celebrations for Shennong （神農大帝）, the Chinese folk deity of herbal medicine and agriculture.

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Shennong’s divine mandate is to ensure bountiful harvests and farmers’ safety, Chen An Temple director Hsu Ching-kuan （許清冠） said.

Garlic was used to make the effigy because of a divine order from Shennong in early January to buy garlic due to the crash in garlic prices, TC Reading Organization Yunlin branch director Chiu Shih-wen （邱世文） said.

The temple also invited a renowned Linnei Township （林內） pastry maker to bake garlic cakes, which were distributed to the first 200 people who participated in the traditional palanquin crawling event, Hsu said.

Crawling under a palanquin bearing the statue of any deity is believed to be an act of devout worship that brings good luck.

The cake maker, known as A-chih （阿智）, learned to make garlic cakes when he was 13 years old, Hsu said, adding that although it has been about five decades since he last made them, A-chih volunteered after learning of the temple’s event and gave a demonstration in front of the temple.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES