Taiwan is an abundant island. Since childhood, I’ve heard elders say, “This place is the legendary Penglai Immortal Island (Formosa) from mainland legends, a place where gods reside, home to many deities, with a pleasant climate and abundant produce.” And during the 2020 pneumonia pandemic, it was also miraculous; although we exported some cases, the situation on the island itself was good. Some friends told me, “It’s because the island of Taiwan is specially surrounded and cared for by many holy spirits.”
Using such an explanation for the pandemic seems a bit too exaggerated to me, but Taiwan indeed has many people, events, and things that are different from other places. In folk culture, there are many methods and laws for cultivation and seeking immortality. One issue I’ve focused on is: when a person begins to sense different, other-worldly spaces, it means their path of cultivation has opened. That person then begins a relentless search for the true path; otherwise, they are prone to bad luck and misfortune. From long-term observation, this phenomenon seems to exist, but I don’t know if other regions have the same custom.


