Make a Wealth Wish at Zinan Palace – A Must-Visit Spot on Your Nantou Fortune-Seeking Day Trip

By MOOK Travel Life Network Editorial Team
 
Every Lunar New Year, Nantou’s Zinan Palace attracts throngs of worshippers coming to pray for fortune money, hoping for a continuous stream of good luck in the year ahead. This Spring Festival, Zinan Palace has specially commissioned the design of uniquely shaped “money mothers” and golden eggs, which will be given out starting at 9:00 AM on the first day of the Lunar New Year (February 8). Those interested are advised to queue up early to claim theirs. In addition, there are many scenic spots along the way to Zinan Palace. Whether before or after praying for fortune, visitors can take their families out for a spring outing to embrace a fresh start for the new year.

● Zinan Palace
Originally established to help devotees make a living, the “Fude Gold” lending and repayment system was born. To borrow Fude Gold, one must first throw jiaobei (moon blocks), up to six times. The first time a “divine sign (shengjiao)” is achieved, one can borrow NT$600, with the amount decreasing with each subsequent throw, and the loan must be repaid by the end of the year as a gesture of gratitude to the Earth God. Nowadays, every Lunar New Year, large numbers of worshippers travel from afar just to borrow fortune money, hoping to gain the Earth God’s blessing for a continuous flow of wealth in the future. During the Spring Festival, worshippers can come to Zinan Palace from the first to the fourth day of the Lunar New Year to collect money mothers, and this year on the morning of the first day at 9:00 AM, Zinan Palace will hold a Money Mother and Golden Egg distribution event. Each golden egg contains gold weighing between 1 and 2 qian, along with cash prizes ranging from NT$100 to NT$3,600.

【Info】
Address: No. 40, Dagon St., Zhushan Township, Nantou County
Tel: (049)262-3722
Hours: 07:00–21:00
 
Fortune-Seeking / Returning Gold at Zinan Palace
◎ Fortune Gold (Seeking Gold)
For the Fude Gold “seeking gold” service, in order to ensure that worshippers nationwide can “have their wishes granted,” Zinan Palace handles both the seeking and collection procedures daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, year-round (except for New Year’s Eve when it is closed), allowing worshippers to “seek gold.” The process for seeking Fude Gold usually involves worshippers personally visiting Zinan Palace to offer incense and prayers to the Earth God and Goddess. Then, they “draw lots” (throw jiaobei) while paying respects to the deities, stating their name, address, and the wish they are making, followed by “throwing jiaobei.”
1. Those who get a “divine sign (shengjiao)” on their first throw may request NT$600.
2. If the first throw does not yield a divine sign, worshippers may pray again, state their name, address, and wish, then “throw jiaobei” once more. If a divine sign is received, they may request NT$500.
3. Similarly, those who receive a divine sign may request NT$400, NT$300, NT$200, or NT$100 respectively.
4. If no divine sign is received after six attempts, worshippers are advised to try again next time.
5. Alternatively, they may try asking for a Blessing Golden Chicken (Lucky Golden Chicken).
 
For the Fude Gold “seeking gold” collection procedure, those whose wishes are fulfilled should go to the Zinan Palace Service Center to fill out personal information and the requested amount of fortune money, and present a valid ID document (original ID card / original driver’s license / photo-bearing health insurance card / must be 20 years or older / passport).

◎ Returning Gold (After Seeking Gold)Add an optional donation as you wish
For the Fude Gold “returning gold” process, worshippers typically return the gold within a year after initially seeking it. Over the years, worshippers’ wishes have varied widely—from career success and job smoothness, to academic achievements, to asking the Earth God to find gold or cars, or to bless family safety. Usually, the Earth God “grants the wishes,” and worshippers add extra donations upon returning the gold as a way of fulfilling vows. After returning the gold, some worshippers immediately seek more fortune money from the Earth God, as a way of ensuring lasting safety, and become loyal devotees of Zinan Palace’s Earth God.
The returning gold hours are the same as the seeking gold hours. For the returning process, please bring an ID document or the original red envelope used to seek the gold (with your name, contact number, and ID number written on it), put the returning amount inside, and the service staff will issue a receipt to complete both the seeking and returning procedures.
 
The time for returning the gold is the same as the time for requesting it. To return the gold, please bring your ID or the red envelope used to request the gold (with the red envelope, your name, contact number, and ID number), place the returned amount inside, and hand it over to a service staff member who will issue a receipt, completing both the requesting and returning procedures.

 
 
● Bagua Tea Garden
The concentric circles of tea terraces are said to have been planted along the contours of the land for soil conservation, eventually forming what looks like a bagua (eight trigrams) pattern. It has been the filming location for many commercials and films and is a favorite spot for photography enthusiasts.

【Info】
Address: No. 11-1, Wuliao Lane, D’An Village, Zhushan Township, Nantou County
 
● Zhushan Sky Ladder (Ladder Suspension Bridge)
Located within the Taiji Canyon in D’An Village, the Sky Ladder Suspension Bridge is a “staircase-style suspension bridge” specially constructed by Nantou County Government with the expertise of Japanese engineers. Stretching 136 meters in length with 208 steps, the bridge spans over the Taiji Canyon, also known as the “Grand Canyon of Western Taiwan” for its stunning rock formations and cliffs — a must-visit attraction when traveling to Zhushan in Nantou.