A bright red platter of eight trigram paper charms known as bagua fu is set out on a table in a room in the Baoan Temple in Taipei. The curative talismans in the picture are used for the ritual known as “offering and resolution,” an offertory ceremony performed by a Taoist priest at the temple.
Bagua fu and other such propitious symbols can be easily obtained from most temples in Taiwan and are used by young and old alike for blessings. The potent charm can be received by individuals after the performance of the rite and is to be carried on their person for healing and protection against illness and the various malign forces that may be encountered in daily life.
The textual remedy is composed of symbols and writing that have been printed in black and red ink on flat, rectangular strips of ordinary yellow paper and folded into a hexagonal shape. The yellow color of the amulets, which is symbolic of the imperial administration in dynastic China, and special red seal imbues the charm with authority, reflecting a practice that dates back over centuries.