The latest renovations to some old temples in Taoyuan and Changhua depart significantly from the traditional decor.
Should you ever visit the 290-year-old Cisheng Temple in Taoyuan to pay your respects to Matsu, don’t forget to look up at some of the latest additions to the temple paintings.
Up high on the panels between interlocking wooden brackets, you can see a painting filled with references to the popular Pokémon media franchise. When this temple was renovated a few years ago, the artist got creative, adding visual references to classic Pokémon like Togepi, Vileplume, Oddish, Bulbasaur, and many others.
Pokémon aren’t the only cartoons hidden among the details in old temples. Yuqu Temple in Changhua features Spongebob Squarepants along with his friend Patrick Star and boss Mr. Krabs, as well as Doraemon and Mickey Mouse. Not surprisingly, these cute makeovers to centuries-old places of worship have been a hit with the kids.
Hanna Bilinski for RTI News