The historic Lungshan Temple in Taipei will ban the lighting of candles on May 1. Temple administrators said the decision was prompted by environmental concerns and the April 15 fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Worshippers at the 280-year-old temple are reacting favorably to the ban, although a few say it will take getting used to. Soon the iconic scenes of a candlelit Lungshan Temple will become a thing of the past. Here at Wanhua''s Lungshan Temple, it''s an endless stream of worshippers. Each one lights a stick of incense.Many devotees also light red candles in a prayer for peace and serenity. But that''s soon to change. The temple has put up a notice that the lighting of candles will be banned starting May 1. Most of the worshippers say they accept the decision.Traditional candles are not eco-friendly and can cause burn injuries. Candle wax is also difficult to remove from surfaces, said temple administrators, who are considering a switch to flameless candles.Fan Tien-chengFumin borough wardenIt just happens that this year is the 280th year since the temple''s founding. They are taking advantage of this 280th anniversary to make a meaningful change.Lungshan Temple, which attracts 2 million visitors a year, banned the burning of paper money in 2000. In 2015, it cut its number of furnaces from seven to three. In 2017, it lowered the furnace count to just one, in an ongoing campaign to balance worship and environmental protection.
