Taitung temple celebrates lucky golden coin turtles

Taitung temple celebrates lucky golden coin turtles

2024-12-29

A temple in Luye, Taitung has a new attraction: a collection of turtles made of coins. The turtles sit outside the temple, where visitors are invited to give them a rub and pray for good luck. But though the turtles are covered with coins, there’s no security. Devotees at Sheng An Temple were dubious at first. They thought the turtles would be stolen in no time. But now, their presence is testament to the integrity of Taitung and its visitors.

Many golden coin turtles, stuffed with small coins, stand proudly outside the temple, ranging in size from tiny to imposingly large. What they all have in common is zero protection, no locks. Any visitor can come up and touch them. They’re supposed to bring good luck, but they are, after all, made of coins… Is it safe to leave them without any security?

Mr. Lu
Temple believer
We thought that they wouldn’t last a week. Someone would steal them. But they’ve been here more than six months now and not a single coin has gone.

Lee Shu-ken
Temple committee chair
The law and order and the culture we have in Taitung is really great and friendly. It’s been over six months and nothing has happened.

Sheng An Temple in Luye Township is a religious center for local people. It’s dedicated to the Earth God, which is also seen as a god of money by businesses.

Lee Shu-ken
Temple committee chair
They provided these turtles, and invited people to pray to them while giving the turtles a rub, and praying for good luck. People all say that they’re very effective, for all our virtuous believers.

Nobody is guarding the turtles outside the temple, and nothing is holding them down, yet not a single coin has gone missing. Visitors just seem to love enjoying the atmosphere – while giving the turtles a pat, of course.

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土地宮廟外擺"錢母金錢龜" 沒上鎖任信徒摸求好運

2024-12-29

台東鹿野一間供奉土地公的宮廟，不僅是當地的信仰中心，也是店家的財神，不少人會來求錢母。今年廟方將信徒還願歸還的錢母，做成金錢龜，放在廟外，供人撫摸求好運。原本有信徒擔心，放在外頭可能會遭竊，但半年過去了，裡面的錢母，一毛都沒少。

好幾隻用銅板塞滿全身各角落的金錢龜，就這樣大喇喇放在宮廟門外，大中小各種Size都有，共通點是沒有任何防護，也沒有上鎖，擺在這隨你摸。儘管是單純祈求好運的東西，但畢竟是用零錢組成的龜，這麼不設防，真的沒問題嗎？

[[信徒盧先生]]
“那時候在想說，這個可能放不到一個禮拜，可能會被人家偷走，結果放了半年多，連一毛錢都沒少”

[[宮廟主委李樹根]]
“我們台東的治安跟人文，都非常的友善，到目前半年多了，從來沒有發生這種事情”

位在台東鹿野的聖安宮，是當地的信仰中心，供奉土地公，也被店家視為財神。

[[宮廟主委李樹根]]
“他們就提供這個龜，讓大家來祈求，順便也摸金錢龜，祈個好運這樣的一個概念。他的這個效果，跟我們所有的信士大德，他們都覺得說這個真的很靈驗”

擺在廟外頭的大小金錢龜，不僅沒人看管，也沒上鎖，半年一毛錢都沒少。也意外，讓來這裡的遊客，也把摸金錢龜，排入必定造訪的景點。

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