Taiwanese Artist Restore Taoist Sculptors in Taoyuan

Published May 1st, 2020 - 07:22 GMT

Sculptor Lin Hsin-lai restoring a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan on March 17, 2020.

Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.

"It's a pity that statues of gods are discarded and some are even battered by wind and rain," Lin said, shortly before conducting a blessing ritual for some repaired statues.

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In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai displays a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP

In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai restoring a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan on March 17, 2020.Sam Yeh / AFP

In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai paints a Taoist god statue during a ceremony at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP

This picture taken on March 17, 2020 shows Taoist god statues after they were discarded by people not using them anymore, at the workplace of sculptor Lin Hsin-lai in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP

In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, a woman takes her new Taoist god statue home after it was restored by sculptor Lin Hsin-lai at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP

In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai restores a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan on March 17, 2020. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP

In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, a woman holds her new Taoist god statue above a fire during a blessing ceremony after it was restored by sculptor Lin Hsin-lai at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP

In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai displays a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai restoring a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan on March 17, 2020.Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai paints a Taoist god statue during a ceremony at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
This picture taken on March 17, 2020 shows Taoist god statues after they were discarded by people not using them anymore, at the workplace of sculptor Lin Hsin-lai in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, a woman takes her new Taoist god statue home after it was restored by sculptor Lin Hsin-lai at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai restores a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan on March 17, 2020. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, a woman holds her new Taoist god statue above a fire during a blessing ceremony after it was restored by sculptor Lin Hsin-lai at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai displays a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai displays a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai restoring a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan on March 17, 2020.Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai restoring a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan on March 17, 2020.Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai paints a Taoist god statue during a ceremony at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai paints a Taoist god statue during a ceremony at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP
This picture taken on March 17, 2020 shows Taoist god statues after they were discarded by people not using them anymore, at the workplace of sculptor Lin Hsin-lai in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
This picture taken on March 17, 2020 shows Taoist god statues after they were discarded by people not using them anymore, at the workplace of sculptor Lin Hsin-lai in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, a woman takes her new Taoist god statue home after it was restored by sculptor Lin Hsin-lai at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, a woman takes her new Taoist god statue home after it was restored by sculptor Lin Hsin-lai at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai restores a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan on March 17, 2020. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, sculptor Lin Hsin-lai restores a Taoist god statue at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan on March 17, 2020. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, a woman holds her new Taoist god statue above a fire during a blessing ceremony after it was restored by sculptor Lin Hsin-lai at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.  Sam Yeh / AFP
In this picture taken on March 17, 2020, a woman holds her new Taoist god statue above a fire during a blessing ceremony after it was restored by sculptor Lin Hsin-lai at his workplace in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai's four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan's celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods. Sam Yeh / AFP

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