Amidst the festive atmosphere at a temple in southern Taiwan, a captivating event unfolded, drawing crowds of hopeful devotees eager to beat the odds.
Video script:
Bengangkou Gangkou Temple in Chiayi drew huge crowds for a special prize event where participants tried their luck to win various attractive prizes by throwing divination blocks. Divination blocks are two crescent moon-shaped wooden blocks that are commonly seen in Taiwanese temples.
One of the lucky winners said that he saw people participating in the event and thought he could try his luck. He shared it was his first time attending this event and that he was very lucky to win a car.
Another participant enjoyed the thrill of winning coveted prizes for the second time after twelve years. He says that the first time he was lucky enough to win a car and 12 years later he won a motorcycle.
The temple's prize drawing event, featuring a plethora of prizes including cars, motorcycles, and the newly added iPhone 15 Pro, attracted numerous participants seeking auspicious beginnings for the new year.
One of the iPhone winners, Ms. Zheng, expressed gratitude to Mazu, the sea goddess of the temple, for her luck of throwing the divination blocks 11 times in what is referred to as the “sacred combination,” with one flat side up and the other convex up.
However, the event's highlight was undoubtedly the winner of the glorious golden Mazu statue, who succeeded in throwing the blocks resulting in the sacred combination 14 times consecutively, an achievement that left many in awe.
Reflecting on the remarkable occurrence, math teacher Ms. Ko and the chairman of the Bengangkou Gangkou Temple Mr. Chen noted the rarity of reaching 13 consecutive identical throws. Ms. Ko says the odds of getting the divination blocks in the same position 14 times is 1 in 16,384. The event added an extra layer of excitement to the temple's Lunar New Year celebrations, as devotees sought blessings and fortune for the year ahead.