廟宇的神祕感 / The Mysterious Aura of Temples
在我小時候的回憶中，中國的廟宇總是散發出神秘的氛圍。每逢節日或特殊場合，父母總會帶我到附近的廟裡參拜，例如，農曆過年時，我們會特別去家附近的廟宇乞求，希望能得到些許保佑，然而，我卻對這些廟宇充滿了一份複雜的情感。
因為，那些廟宇，總是氤氳著濃烈的煙味，彷彿能將我的靈魂一併潔淨，但我卻不太理解，為何要向神明行禮，又或者點起線香。在我那時幼小的心靈中，這種習慣總是顯得有些荒謬，甚至有點可怕，我不喜歡整個場景中神龕前的擺設，那些雕像、神像，總是讓我心生敬畏。
也許，年幼的我還未能理解宗教的力量，或者是缺乏與之相關的文化背景，我總是覺得，那些神祇像是隱居在虛構的世界中，與現實世界格格不入，而且，父母在廟宇中的肅穆神情，總是讓我感到壓抑，仿佛置身於一片陌生的氛圍之中。
隨著年齡的增長，我開始讀了一些童書，其中有些書會有提到那些我們參拜人物的由來，例如，關老爺來自於三國演義中的形象，總之，我開始有了更深刻的思考。我明白，這些廟宇對於許多人而言，是信仰的象徵，是他們與神明交流的橋樑。而這種信仰，對於人們的生活、價值觀，都有著深遠的影響。我漸漸理解了父母當初帶我到廟宇的用意，是希望我能夠學會尊重、寬容，以及與傳統文化建立連結。
慢慢地，當我再次踏進廟宇，那種陌生感早已消失，取而代之的是一份平和與敬意。我學會了欣賞那些古老的建築、莊嚴的氛圍，以及人們的虔誠，我明白，信仰是多麼的多元，而這種多元性正是中國文化的一部分，我小時候不喜歡廟宇，是因為對它不了解，之後對它起了崇敬之意，並懂得尊重它人的信仰，這個過程見證了我成長的軌跡，也是我與中國傳統文化連結的一道橋樑，對我而言，廟宇的神祕面紗，已經慢慢脫落了，成為我生活中的一部份。
In my childhood memories, Chinese temples always exuded a mysterious atmosphere. During festivals or special occasions, my parents would often take me to nearby temples for worship. For instance, during Lunar New Year, we would visit a temple close to our home, seeking blessings. However, I had complex feelings about these temples.
You see, these temples were always filled with thick incense smoke that seemed to purify not just the air, but also my soul. Yet, I couldn't quite comprehend why we needed to pay respects to deities or light incense. In my young mind, these rituals seemed somewhat absurd and even a bit intimidating. I wasn't fond of the grand displays of statues and idols on the altar; they always struck me with a sense of reverence.
Perhaps, at that age, I didn't quite grasp the power of religion, or I lacked the cultural context associated with it. The deities seemed like inhabitants of a fictional world, detached from reality. Moreover, my parents' solemn expressions within the temple always made me feel constrained, as if I was surrounded by an unfamiliar atmosphere.
As I grew older and began reading books, some of which explained the origins of the figures we worshipped – for instance, how Guan Yu came from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms – I started to reflect more deeply. I came to understand that these temples were symbols of faith for many, serving as bridges to communicate with higher powers. This faith profoundly impacted people's lives and values. I gradually comprehended why my parents brought me to temples – it was to teach me respect, tolerance, and to establish a connection with our cultural heritage.
Over time, upon revisiting temples, the sense of unfamiliarity had faded, replaced by a sense of serenity and reverence. I learned to appreciate the ancient architecture, the solemn ambiance, and the devotion of worshippers. I realized how diverse beliefs could be, and this diversity was an integral part of Chinese culture. My initial lack of fondness for temples as a child stemmed from ignorance. However, I grew to admire them, respect others' beliefs, and this journey of transformation witnessed my personal growth and connection to traditional Chinese culture. The veil of mystery surrounding temples slowly lifted, and they became an integral part of my life.