The most famous spirit bank, Zinan Temple in Nantou, offers worshippers a huge imitation yuanbao gold ingot made of bamboo plaiting to touch, a gesture symbolizing taking fortune home. In Taiwanese, the pronunciation of the characters “golden chicken” sounds similar to “increase gold.” The golden chicken statue at the temple has been rubbed so often that most of its paint is gone! (Jimmy Lin)

Generally speaking, people in need of cash—be it for the purchase of a home, for some other investment, or to resolve an emergency—find themselves at a bank applying for a loan. But in recent years a novel variation on the loan services rendered by ordinary banks has emerged from an unexpected place: a large number of Taoist temples, despite ostensibly being above such mundane affairs, have begun offering “spirit” loans to worshippers. By casting pairs of crescent-shaped divination blocks before an icon of the local Earth God, the God of Wealth, or another celestial dweller, petitioners can apply for small loans of NT$100–600.

These “good fortune” loans are essentially a means of obtaining divine blessing. Temples who offer these services can earn upwards of NT$100 million per year, and the rate of return at these “spirit banks” often leaves their earthly counterparts in the dust. In recent years, the practice has become the latest institution in Taiwan folk culture.

By the twelfth day of the lunar New Year the holiday period has already begun winding down, and a good deal of folk have already gone back to business as usual. But an ecstatic holiday ambience nevertheless permeates Zi­nan Temple in Zhu­shan Township, Nan­tou County. An endless caravan of cars and buses packed with pilgrims from across the country descends on the temple, reducing the traffic in the adjacent streets to a hopeless morass.

It turns out that this particular temple is the most renowned of Taiwan’s Earth God banks. Almost all of the visitors today have come expressly to beseech the gods for a loan. In earnest supplication they take up their divination blocks, and if the first cast results in one block landing flat side up and the other round side up, then the petitioner has, in a manner of speaking, hit the jackpot, entitling him or her to the largest loan sum of NT$600. If the same configuration is achieved at the second attempt, the sum awarded is lessened to NT$500 and decreases in NT$100 increments for each further toss needed to produce the winning results.

Those lucky enough to enjoy the favor of the gods can then apply their reward as they see fit; some purchase stocks, others put it in their savings account to earn a little interest, and others may simply pour the money into their business operations.

After a year, irrespective of their fortunes during that time, borrowers return the borrowed amount plus an additional NT$200–300 to properly thank the gods for their favor and guidance. Oftentimes, if an individual has enjoyed exceptional success they may additionally donate as much as NT$10,000 or even NT$100,000. Speaking in terms of interest rates, the temples receive 20–30% at the bottom end to upwards of 100,000% at the top!