Etiquette for Visiting a Temple

[Unlearner]

I was thinking about planning a visit to the Teen How Taoist Temple in Houston, Texas. I feel like it would be an interesting place to experience in person. However, I have never been to a temple before, and I was hoping that someone else who has been before would be able to inform me of anything that might be good to know before I visit such a place. I would be greatly appreciative of any information or suggestions that are provided.

[林愛偉]

 

Bring fruit in threes. Perhaps 3,6 or 9 of any type of fruit you wish to bring. Offer it to the temple, or head of temple.

Upon entering, check to see if there is an alter placed before a main hall, if there is , offer a bow with palms together, better to offer 3.

 

When going to engage in a conversation with any of the monks, or cultivators, while saying hello,palms together at the heart, and a slight bow, without looking at the eyes. Then begin your conversation.

 

Offer the fruit to the cultivator or person, monk, who greets you and say it is for the temple. Then if there are any other alters around, it would be a sign of openness and harmony if you bowed to each alter. This can be done after greeting the people at the door when walking in. You can then request to pay your respects and bow at their alters.

 

When leaving, a single bow to all the alters is enough, but 3 is good, yet, its okay for one. Then make sure you greet each person in your immediate vision before leaving with hands together at heart level and a slight bow.

 

Enjoy!

[thelerner]

Pictures??

[Unlearner]

Pictures??

 

Absolutely, I will try to take some to share with anyone interested.

 

 

Bring fruit in threes. Perhaps 3,6 or 9 of any type of fruit you wish to bring. Offer it to the temple, or head of temple.

Upon entering, check to see if there is an alter placed before a main hall, if there is , offer a bow with palms together, better to offer 3.

 

When going to engage in a conversation with any of the monks, or cultivators, while saying hello,palms together at the heart, and a slight bow, without looking at the eyes. Then begin your conversation.

 

Offer the fruit to the cultivator or person, monk, who greets you and say it is for the temple. Then if there are any other alters around, it would be a sign of openness and harmony if you bowed to each alter. This can be done after greeting the people at the door when walking in. You can then request to pay your respects and bow at their alters.

 

When leaving, a single bow to all the alters is enough, but 3 is good, yet, its okay for one. Then make sure you greet each person in your immediate vision before leaving with hands together at heart level and a slight bow.

 

Enjoy!

 

Thank you very much for this, I greatly appreciate it

[林愛偉]

 

 

 

Thank you very much for this, I greatly appreciate it

 

 

When you do this, they will find it very much appreciated, and welcome you in even more, all because you respected their traditions and beliefs. I did this when on my first visit to Tai Shan's Bi Xia Ci on the top of the mountain back in 2004. Made a world of a difference. Also when I met my flesh bodied Daoist teacher in 2004. Its a golden exchange for a priceless experience.

[Iskote]

 

I was thinking about planning a visit to the Teen How Taoist Temple in Houston, Texas. I feel like it would be an interesting place to experience in person. However, I have never been to a temple before, and I was hoping that someone else who has been before would be able to inform me of anything that might be good to know before I visit such a place. I would be greatly appreciative of any information or suggestions that are provided.

Different branches and sects of taoism have different customs and traditions. As long as you show basic respect and manners when visting a taoist temple I don't think there will be any problem at all, especially for a temple located in the USA. I wouldn't worry too much about bowing or bringing fruit or anything like that when just dropping by for a visit. It is quite unlikely that there will be any such expectations from visitors. They will obviously know that most visitors will not likely be familiar with taoist customs in general, or their particular temple's customs and traditions. If you are concerned about it, you can ask whoever is at the temple to describe some of the temple customs and practices to you if you are interested. Believers typically have the option of offering up incense at one or more alters if they want to, and how exactly this is done may differ a bit from temple to temple, but it usually involves offering the incense in a certain way and some bowing, but you could just simply ask how to do it if you want to do so.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Iskote

[Basher]

I'm a keen, rather than talented photographer.

Should visitors generally ask permission before taking photos ?

Good manners and Respect.

 

Would there be areas off limits to visitors and / or their cameras ?

[Iskote]

Basher, it would depend on the temple whether they allow pictures inside the temple or not, but in any case it would always be a good idea to ask first if pictures inside the temple are ok.

 

 

[Unlearner]

Different branches and sects of taoism have different customs and traditions. As long as you show basic respect and manners when visting a taoist temple I don't think there will be any problem at all, especially for a temple located in the USA. I wouldn't worry too much about bowing or bringing fruit or anything like that when just dropping by for a visit. It is quite unlikely that there will be any such expectations from visitors. They will obviously know that most visitors will not likely be familiar with taoist customs in general, or their particular temple's customs and traditions. If you are concerned about it, you can ask whoever is at the temple to describe some of the temple customs and practices to you if you are interested. Believers typically have the option of offering up incense at one or more alters if they want to, and how exactly this is done may differ a bit from temple to temple, but it usually involves offering the incense in a certain way and some bowing, but you could just simply ask how to do it if you want to do so.

 

 

I'm a keen, rather than talented photographer.

Should visitors generally ask permission before taking photos ?

Good manners and Respect.

 

Would there be areas off limits to visitors and / or their cameras ?

 

Thank you for the suggestions, I'll be sure to keep them in mind

[Iskote]

I have visited a taoist temple (Hong Kong based) many times and participated in cermemonies and chanting, and I never saw anyone bowing to anyone else, whether to a taoist priest or anyone else, nor did I ever see anyone bring in fruit except in the case when it was time for the fruit on the alters to be changed, and one or more temple members would bring in the new fruit to replace the old fruit on the alters. Bowing was only done when people were offering incense at an alter or related. I am not saying that other temples wouldn't ever have such behavior as I have already mentioned that different temples may do things differently, or it may be specific to a certain regions. Just my own experience. At any rate, as long as a visitor is respectful you should be fine. In my experience taoists tend to be a lot more laid back and casual in general than you might find in some buddhist or other traditions.

 

[Taomeow]

I would follow the traditional advice (thanks, Lin Aiwei!).

 

Certain groups of tourists are notorious globally for wanton disregard of any and all local customs and a propensity to impose their own familiar way of doing things on the locals. Tourists is no big deal, armed forces is worse, and one is somehow linked to the other in my mind, a disrespectful tourist who feels that his disrespect is backed up by his country's military might chooses this behavior accordingly, albeit perhaps unconsciously. Even though the temple is on the American soil, it can be seen as an embassy of sorts of a different tradition. Following it can't hurt even if it is "unnecessary."

 

Oh, and the deities will notice the attitude... and their memory is infinitely long.

[liminal_luke]

Personally, it would be challenging for me to follow the traditional advice. I'd be afraid of getting it wrong, feel awkward being so active and outgoing, doing something so foreign to me. And yet, I agree that it's the way to go. Even if different temples are different and you don't end up doing it exactly right for that particular tradition...still, I think the fact that you've gone out of your way to follow tradition the best you know how, rather than just taking the easy way out and offering some more generic form of respect, is sure to be appreciated.