Stories of Sheng Zhen Men
Why does Sheng Zhen Men worship a youthful Jade Emperor image?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
When I first saw the youthful image of the Jade Emperor, I particularly liked it and felt a strong affinity with it. Once the circumstances were right, I brought the image to Sheng Zhen Men for worship. I had not first decided which ancestral temple to seek out. It was through later conversations with others that I gradually came to understand this connection.
Early in my spiritual practice, I saw Brother A-Qing at a temple festival. Later, I kept encountering him at different temples. Each time we simply nodded and greeted each other, and only afterwards did we have an opportunity to become properly acquainted. When we talked about the deities we worshipped, we discovered that both places used the youthful image of the Jade Emperor, which gave me a warm sense of familiarity.
Through that exchange, I learned that the youthful Jade Emperor worshipped at Sanyang Yufu Heavenly Palace in Taichung was connected with the faith we were discussing. Later I had the opportunity to visit and pay my respects. Looking back, some choices I had not thought much about at the time gradually became connected afterwards. This is also why I treasure the people I have met and the connections that have developed along the way.