Monkeys and the Bao An Temple

I went for a hike near my house, and ran into a Taiwanese macaque! It was really close, about six feet away, and really big, about four feet long. It had a dignified expression on its pink face, and was not at all frightened by me, but proceeded calmly to a nearby tree, where it seated itself and began to eat leaves while admiring the cityscape below. It was quite different from the nasty, aggressive little monkeys in Vietnam and Cambodia. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera, so I couldn't take its picture.

Yesterday I went to the Bao An temple, which is a Taoist temple dedicated to an Emperor who became a god due to his extreme virtue and medical skill. They also have altars for the goddess of childbearing, Confucius, and the main Taoist deity, the Jade Emperor. It was full of people burning incense, praying and throwing red pieces of wood on the ground, which is a way to see if the gods will grant your prayers or not. The air is smoky due to incense, and the temple is very elaborate. You aren't supposed to enter through the central door, because that's for the gods to use. The doors have a raised wooden stoop to prevent ghosts and demons from entering (because they can't step up?).