Longshan Temple (龍山寺) in Taipei City’s Wanhua District (萬華) which is constantly inundated with devotees from Taiwan and abroad, recently called on pious worshippers to help reduce pollution by using certified incense sticks or by paying tribute through their minds.
Amid growing environmental awareness and complaints about unpleasant odors generated by the temple, authorities at the temple posted an announcement last month stating that donated incense sticks are now forbidden and devotees are encouraged to worship deities either through their hearts or with certified incense sticks which are sold at the temple.
It has become a customary practice that worshippers donate packets of incense to the temple as a demonstration of their devotion, allowing visitors to enjoy free access to the incense, which is stacked on the reception desk.
Photo: Chiu Shao-wen, Taipei Times
“The temple is unable to conduct quality tests on these various incense donations, and many visitors have complained about strange odors and poor air quality at the temple,” said Chang Hsue-lin (張雪玲), director of temple affairs. “It is for these reasons that we must decline such donations in the future to ensure the quality of incense sticks that are burnt at the temple.”
The temple authorities’ actions have drawn a mixed reaction among worshippers, with some grumbling that it is a pity free incense sticks have been halted, while others have questioned as to “why it is only the temple that sells the certified kind of incense?”
Despite a few dissenting opinions, the majority of devotees have given the new policy their support.
Citing as an example a man who donated ten catty (0.6kg) of incense sticks to the temple worth NT$300, a middle-aged woman worshipper surnamed Chiu (邱) said that the deed may appear to have been benevolent, but it could pose health risks to other worshippers, and the low-priced incense sticks were of unknown origin.
Another devotee, surnamed Yang (楊), lauded the new policy, saying that the approach could bring down the volume of incense sticks used at the temple and that the Chinese National Standards (CNS)-certified incense on sale at the temple contained only seven sticks per packet — just enough for the temple’s seven censers.
Defending the new approach, Chang said the temple only decided to sell incense for the convenience of worshippers, who could opt to bring their own incense to the temple.
Meanwhile, Hsingtien Temple (行天宮) in Taipei’s Zhongshan District (中山) has also adopted a similar approach, encouraging devotees to pay tribute with their minds rather than with incense.
However, the temple does not unequivocally bar worshippers from donating incense sticks given the opposition vocalized by nearby incense vendors, temple administrator Lee Chu-hua (李楚華) said.
Attributing Hsingtien Temple’s eco-friendly policies to the unstable quality of incense sticks being donated, Ko Po-wen (柯博文) — the owner of a long-established incense manufacturer — said most worshippers tended to prize quantity above quality.
“Many people, in an attempt to express their gratitude to the deities tend to donate incense sticks in large quantities — about 10 catty’s worth. They usually go for China-made incense sticks, which, despite being cheaper, are of an inferior quality,” Ko said.
Ko advised people who are purchasing incense sticks for their homes to choose those manufactured in Taiwan for the sake of their health.
According to incense stick makers, while the quality of incense sticks cannot be easily judged, buyers can check details to gauge the standard.
“Taiwan-manufactured incense sticks tend to be thinner, produce less smoke and create ash at a lower temperature. When it comes to poor-quality incense the fumes they give off can irritate the eyes and the nose, and can even cause nausea and dizziness,” the operator said.
Smoke from incense sticks — whether of a good or poor quality — contains chemical irritants and suspended particulates that can set off allergic reactions for people with asthma or allergies, doctors have said.
People who worship gods at home should avoid burning incense or at least maintain proper ventilation, doctors have said, advising devotees to put on a respiratory mask when visiting temples.
Lin Ja-liang (林杰樑), a specialist in clinical toxicology at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Linkou District (林口), said incense fumes would emit polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that contain first-grade cancer-causing benzene.
“Generally, when we are talking about poor-quality incense, we are talking about imports from China. In the absence of tests on the PAHs emitted by low-quality incense, customers should check the products’ country of origin and should opt for those made in Taiwan,” Lin said.
Additional Reporting by Lin Hsiang-mei and Huang Chi-hao
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and