Worshippers flocked to Taipei’s Longshan Temple Monday morning, to get lights lit in their name for the Year of the Dragon. The lights are believed to bring peace and protection to the people they’re lit for. The temple is offering 800 slots per day to people waiting in line. It’s also opened up registration on the internet.

A long line of people waits at the entrance of Longshan Temple. Every year before the Lunar New Year, worshippers come to get tiny lights lit in their name. Travelers from as far as Taoyuan arrived at the temple on Monday, only to find all 800 slots already taken. At the front of the line, one man says he’s been waiting since Jan. 1, for eight whole days.

Mr. Shen
Member of public
I came here at 8 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Just over a decade ago, my child encountered some problems, but it all went well after I had a light lit here. The lights bring protection.

Even before daybreak, the streets by the temple were bustling, as numbers were set to be handed out starting 6 a.m. On the nearby Xichang Street, long lines formed with people wrapped up warm in coats and blankets, sitting on stools and foldable chairs. Police were dispatched to the area to maintain order.

Huang Shu-wei
Longshan Temple head
Sincerity brings spiritual success. If you come with a sincere heart, Bodhisattva will bless you. Online, people have registered for more than 50,000 lights already. I think that has helped thin out the crowds here somewhat.

Some people in line set up a shift system through online group chats. In-person registration is only available on three days, with 800 spots each day. Each light for the Tai Sui god is priced at NT$600, and the temple has a total of 250,000 lights available. To cut waiting times, the temple has launched online registration, and for the first time, people are being allowed to sign up for lights on behalf of friends and family. Other temples in Northern Taiwan provide a similar service. The Ciyou Temple in Songshan District opened up registration on Jan. 1. The Dalongdong Baoan Temple began offering lights in late 2023, with each Tai Sui light priced at NT$800 and other types of lights priced at NT$600. At the Songshan Feng Tian Temple, lights for the Jade Emperor cost NT$2,000, while other types cost NT$600.

Huang Shu-wei
Longshan Temple head
We’ve decided to make an additional 1,000 slots available every day for the convenience of the public, so that they don’t have to stand so long in line.

The temple says there are plenty of lights available, and that there is no need to rush. As the Year of the Dragon draws nearer, worshippers are eager to do what they can to start the new year well.

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