An odd little temple with 5 fierce looking statutes, unlike other Taoist temples, and most definitely, there was no statute of Guanyin as indicated by legend. The custom here is to pray and offer food and incense, but if the wish is outrageous, like winning at the horse race tomorrow, why then, one must offer up a round of firecrackers! The Southern Fujianese were the only ones with this loud custom at a temple. Guanyin, her name meaning hearing all sounds, might not approve of such loudness. But was this the temple the old man prayed in? Did he even have a name.
Why yes, the tea farmers inform me. It’s not a myth. The old man’s name was Wei Yin. I’ll go soon to visit his grave, one step closer to finding out that these tea legends were not made up- the farmers had not such imagination! So where are the monkeys for picking tea?
