Detailed Introduction
Open most Taiwanese people's wallets and you'll likely find a slip of yellow paper, folded small and slipped into a red plastic sleeve -- a peace talisman. From the ping'an fu handed out at temples to the house-guarding charms drawn by a Taoist priest, fulu (also called fu or shenfu) have passed through nearly every household in Taiwan, quietly watching over the family's daily life.
Meaning and How It Works
A talisman writes a deity's spiritual power -- in special characters, symbols, and figures -- onto yellow paper, red paper, or silk. It works like a "decree" or "written order" issued in the deity's own hand, carrying divine authority and protection. But whether a talisman is potent rests on three things: the cultivation of the ritual master who draws it, the deity's blessing, and your own sincere faith. Take away any one, and it loses its power.
Common Types
- Peace talisman (ping'an fu): the most common and widely used. A sheet of yellow paper inscribed with sacred symbols, folded into a bagua shape or a rectangle and placed in a red amulet sleeve. After being "passed over the censer" at the main burner (circled clockwise three times), it is carried on the person for safe passage and to turn away bad luck. Nearly every temple offers one -- it is the most basic protective object in Taiwanese practice.
- Purification talisman (jing fu): used after a funeral, a hospital or sickbed visit, or a trip to a cemetery or other unclean place. The talisman is dissolved in clean water, which is then used to wash the face and hands or sprinkled over the body to clear away negative energy and cleanse one's field.
- House-guarding talisman (zhenzhai fu): pasted above the door lintel, on both sides of the main door, or at a spot in the home designated by a ritual master, to guard the dwelling and deflect evil. Common when moving into a new home or when strange things keep happening in the house.
- Wealth talisman (zhaocai fu): requested at wealth-god temples for prosperity, then placed in a wallet, cash register, or safe.
- Marriage talisman (yinyuan fu): requested at a Yue Lao (Matchmaker God) temple to seek a good match.
- Personal protection talisman (fuling): custom-drawn by a Taoist priest from your personal birth chart, offering the most targeted protection.
The Right Way to Request One
1. First offer incense before the deity and state your name, birthday, and address.
2. Explain clearly why you are requesting the talisman and what you seek.
3. Cast divination blocks to ask the deity's permission; only proceed once you receive a holy block.
4. Collect the talisman at the service counter or talisman station.
5. Raise it above the main incense burner and circle it clockwise three times -- passing over the censer -- to let it drink in the incense energy and switch on its power.
6. Store it well and carry it, or use it as directed.
Using and Replacing It
- A peace talisman is usually replaced once a year. Before Lunar New Year, take the old one to the temple's furnace to be burned, then request a fresh one for the coming year.
- Don't keep a talisman in an unclean spot (for instance, sitting on it in a back pocket) -- that disrespects the deity.
- Replace a talisman promptly once it is damaged, waterlogged, or faded.
- Taking someone else's talisman as your own is taboo; use only the talisman you requested yourself.
- Never toss an old talisman in the trash. Return it to the temple furnace to be burned properly.