Gecko staying in incense burner becomes star of temple ritual

2026-06-09

If you live in Taiwan, you’ve probably encountered a gecko at home at some point, but have you ever seen one chilling inside an incense burner? Worshippers at a temple in Donggang were surprised to see that last weekend. A gecko found a temporary home for itself inside the censer for two days. It held tight and steady to the big incense stick in the middle, only taking a break to let temple priests change the spent stick to a new one. Geckos are thought to bring good luck in Taiwan, and its presence at the temple has been interpreted as a good omen.

The temple is bustling with worshippers attending a religious ceremony. But one participant caught special attention: a gecko holding on perfectly still to an incense stick inside the burner. The reptile was there for a whole two days, surprising visitors. A priest says he’s never seen anything like it.

Lee Ming-cheng
Priest
It’s the first time I saw this, and at a celebration! The gecko was perched there during the rituals. When we changed the incense sticks, it took a rest and climbed back up on the fresh ones.

The temple in question is the Seven Dragon Temple in Donggang, which held an enshrinement ceremony last weekend. Worshippers quickly found the gecko grabbing on to the incense stick in the censer outside. When the stick was burned up, the reptile took a break at the bottom, but as soon as a new stick was placed, it climbed back up and clung on as before. Could it also be trying to reach the gods?

Mr. Chen
Priest
Generally, our religion says that all living beings have a spirit, each with their own spirituality. It came to this auspicious place and communicated with our goddess. It stayed and followed her.

Lee Ming-cheng
Priest
It’s like a guardian, like a good luck charm. When it appears in our homes, it’s protecting our homes. So if it’s on the incense, it’s guarding the ember.

Geckos are thought as lucky animals that protect the places they visit, and some say they ensure good fortune for those who let them stay.

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#gecko #cute #goodluck #goodfortune #protection #animals #lizard

神奇! 東港廟宇安座開光大典壁虎連兩天"緊抱香炷"

2026-06-09

屏東東港一間廟宇，上週末舉辦神明的安座開光大典，但就有民眾發現，擺放在外頭香爐中插的香上，有一隻壁虎，兩天來都待在裡面沒有離開，而且牠抱著香炷不放，只要香快燒完牠就到旁邊休息一下，放上新的香，牠就又立刻抱上去，讓不少民眾看了也嘖嘖稱奇。

廟宇在辦法會，外頭人來人往很熱鬧，不過香爐裡面竟有一隻壁虎，緊緊抱著香炷不放，動也不動，不少人看了嘖嘖稱奇，而且這個現象維持了兩天，連來協助的道長，也說這還真是頭一次見過。

[[道長李名正]]
“第一次（見到），剛好遇到這個慶典。我們在法事科儀的時候，牠就會棲息在上面，如果要換新的時候，牠就一樣都會先在旁邊休息，換好了之後牠就會爬上來。”

地點就在屏東東港的七龍宮，上週末舉辦法會，要進行安座大典，被民眾發現，外頭的香爐，這隻壁虎就靜靜地在這裡動也不動，香柱快燒完時，牠就到底下休息一下，插上新的香柱，牠就又會爬回來繼續緊抱，彷彿就像有靈性一樣。

[[道士陳先生]]
“一般我們宗教在說就是這樣，天生萬物都有靈，有生命的東西都有他的靈性，今天就算是來到貴寶地這裡，遇到我們的母娘在這裡，牠願意在這裡跟著祂去修行。”

[[道長李名正]]
“算是守宮，也算是吉祥物，牠也在我們的家裡面，也算是在幫我們顧家，這個就是這樣，在香上面就是在幫我們顧香頭。”

換個想法，壁虎也有人叫做守宮，有人認為，說不定就是在幫忙大家守護財富。

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