Hey!

嘿！

Did you ever feel that life is difficult?

你有過覺得生活不順利的時候嗎？

Did you ever feel so challenged that you wished for a different fate?

你覺得自己很辛苦，如果可以的話你希望自己能變得更幸運？

But what exactly can you do to turn your luck around?

為了讓生活變得更幸運，你曾經做過哪些事呢？

In Taiwan, people are very passionate about "Kai-Yun",

在台灣，人們熱衷於「開運」，

which means praying for good luck and avoiding bad fortune in our daily lives.

意指在日常生活中，時時祈求順利、避開不幸。

If you are someone who believes in fate, in Taiwan, there is something called Auspicious dates.

如果你是一個相信「命運」的人，在台灣，有所謂的「良辰吉時」。

If you do certain things at a certain time, it will change your life for the better.

只要在日常生活中多做「某些事」，就會讓每天的生活變得更美好。

For example:

比方說：

If Taiwanese people wish for a year of good fortune, they would fight to be the first one to rush into a temple on the morning of Chinese New Year's Day.

如果台灣人希望新的一年能更順利，他們喜歡在過年的大清早第一個衝進廟裡。

"Oh! He's put the first incense into the burner."

「噢！他插到第一支香了。」

If they think they don't have enough money, they will borrow money from the God of Wealth or Cai Shen,

當他們覺得錢不夠用，他們會向財神爺借錢，

because they believe that spending the money of the gods will bring even more prosperity in the future.

因為他們相信神明的錢花掉不但會再回來，還會帶回來更多。

When they are hungry, they will eat food with different colors and food with rounded shape or a lot of stuffing to summon good fortune.

當肚子餓時，他們會吃各種顏色的食物，或圓型、包餡的食物，來召喚好運。

What about marriage? If Taiwanese people can't find a good match, their parents will take their children to Yue Lao or God of Marriage.

當台灣人一直找不到好對象時，他們的父母會帶著子女去找月老。

They will ask for a red string or buy peach blossoms to try and find their better half.

用博杯的方式向神明要紅線，或買桃花放在家裡做法。

If someone is ill, they will take the clothes of the patient and go around the incense burner three times.

要是有人生病了，他們會拿著病人的衣服在香爐上繞三圈，

They will light the candles before the Gods, and wear a kind of herb called Le-goo-mi-nu-si to pray for safety.

並在神明前點燈、配帶抹草來祈求平安。

If they wish for luck, some Taiwanese even take baths at night using flower petals and leaves.

如果想變得更好運，有些台灣人甚至會在夜晚用花瓣或葉子泡澡，

Some people would even wear red underwear or put lucky charms next to the bed for good luck.

或換上紅內褲、在床邊放幸運物來祈求好運。

Do you think this is too superstitious?

你覺得這很迷信？

In fact, for a lot of Taiwanese people, they would be restless if they didn't do it!

但是對於大多數的台灣人來說，不這麼做，他們的心裡可是會覺得怪怪的喔！

The religious belief in Taiwan is influenced by many countries.

台灣在信仰上受到許多國家的影響，

Their ancestors are mostly immigrants arriving through dangerous waters.

祖先大多是破浪而來的移民。

Due to the hardships and uncertainty they face, most believe that besides hard work, praying for good fortune and avoiding evil is the key to a fulfilled life.

由於開墾不易，生活要看老天爺的臉色， 所以除了平日除了勤懇努力，他們也相信趨吉避凶，能為生活帶來更多益處。

The Taiwanese value of life is a combination of religion, customs, Feng-Shui, the five elements, and Chinese astrology.

台灣人日常的價值觀，融合了宗教、民俗、風水、五行、命理。

So when students are about to take a big test, most parents will take them to the temple for prayers instead of encouraging them.

如果說家裡有小孩要參加考試，大多數台灣的家長不是鼓勵小孩，而是帶著小孩去廟裡拜拜。

Parents: "Prayers bring blessings."

家長：因為「有拜有保庇」！

The Taiwanese people believe that man proposes, God disposes.

台灣人相信「謀事在人，成事在天」。

In other words, they believe that there will be order from the spiritual world.

他們合群，重視謙虛，相信冥冥之中自有定律。

This belief is different from the mindset of the West: Where there is a will, there is a way.

和歐美國家的人相信「只要自己願意就能夠完成任何事情」的想法不同，

Taiwanese people are not as confident.

他們不那麼有自信。

Apart from self-motivated diligence, they entrust their success to the care of the gods.

因此，除了自發性的努力，他們大多將成功寄託在向神明許願上。

So naturally, when the gods don't bring good results, they will become furious!

當然，有的時候寄託失敗，他們也會很生氣！

Nevertheless, in this island where people elevate spiritual fortune, you will find that many religions coexist peacefully along with their abundant varieties of customs.

無論如何，在這座崇尚幸運的小島，你可以發覺許多不同的信仰在這裡和平的共存，也有許許多多豐富的民俗活動。

You can even buy a Kai-yun lucky red underwear in a 24/7 convenience store.

你甚至可以在 24 小時的便利商店，購買到開運紅內褲（欸？）

Next time you visit Taiwan, why don't you bring some good fortune home as well?

下次來到台灣，不妨帶一點好運回家吧！

This video is brought to you by Taiwan Trivia.

現在你收看的這支影片是由台灣二三事所製作。

Oh! If you like this video, please click the subscribe button for future updates!

喔！如果你喜歡這支影片，趕快按下右下角的訂閱吧！

To bring good fortune to our dear viewers, we have already prayed for blessing from the Goddess Mazu.

為了讓收看這支影片的你能更加幸運，我們可是有請媽祖加持呢。