Tainan – Beigang - 100km ^43
The wind picked up and the ride became a slow slog - not a good deal one can do but
get the day over and done with. There’s nothing good about cycling into a headwind:
it’s slow going, frustrating and energy-sapping. Even though the road passed various
wetland reserves, the weather was too miserable to explore.
At around 16h00, the hunt to find suitable camping didn’t reveal anything. Eventually,
a friendly chap pointed me in an easterly direction, and it was easily 20 kilometres
before biking into Beigang.
Each place has something of interest and Beigang was home to the popular Chaotian
Temple, where people went to cast moon blocks. Although late, I wanted to visit the
temple. Once inside, one could hear the clackety-clack of devotees throwing moon
blocks. Both men and women of all ages clasped identical blocks, whispered to
themselves, paused, and let the blocks fall to the ground. One side of the block was
curved and called the yin, while the other was flat and called the yang.
I understood the gods’ fate is revealed in how these blocks fall to the floor. One yin
and one yang are a yes; two yins facing up with the flat surfaces against the floor
means the gods are mad, and it’s a no; two yangs with the curved surfaces swaying
on the ground shows the gods are laughing, meaning either the question was unclear
or the inquirer already knew the answer. The gods told me to stay on Route 19.