cross-posted from : https://lemmy.zip/post/66995083
When Yeh Chih-sheng steps aboard Taiwan Coast Guard vessel CG1005 in the choppy waters of the Taiwan Strait, he brings more than his uniform and orders: he also has temple charms blessed by the gods revered by fishermen for protection at sea.
Off duty, he is an assistant priest, or “sio-huat” in Taiwanese, at a Penghu temple devoted to the Five Lords — guardian deities long worshipped by coastal communities for safe seas and protection from plague.
Yeh has served the gods since primary school, helping spirit mediums during rituals in which deities are believed to descend from the heavens and deliver instructions.
The sad thing here is imo that there is a need for such a job to be done (rather than this person’s faith). The Chinese Communist Party’s warmongering in the region show what kind of mindset it has.