30-Second Overview:
Jiaobei (divination blocks) is the most widespread ritual of "communication between humans and gods" in Taiwanese folk religion. These crescent-shaped wooden blocks carry not only a fascinating statistical probability but also a traditional craft on the verge of being lost. Through Chiayi craftsman Huang Yi-xun's dedication to the "bamboo-root jiaobei," we can see how Taiwanese people use physical objects to exchange their inner anxieties and hopes with the divine.
In July 2024, in a workshop in Minxiong Township, Chiayi County, 71-year-old Huang Yi-xun bent over a pile of mud-covered thorn bamboo rhizomes, searching. He was not looking for ordinary wood, but for bamboo roots buried underground for years with extremely high fiber density. These seemingly ordinary crescent-shaped wooden blocks are, in the lives of many Taiwanese, the final arbiter of decisions about changing jobs, moving house, or even marriage.
The Art of Staying Rooted: A Thousand-Year Covenant in Bamboo
Most people who walk into a temple casually pick up mass-produced plastic divination blocks or cheap pressed-wood replicas. But in Huang Yi-xun's eyes, those are merely "commodities," not "vessels of faith." The "bamboo root" he insists on using must come from the junction of the thorn bamboo's underground rhizome and its root system, and it must grow symmetrically.
"What I make is not a commodity; it is a megaphone for faith." Huang Yi-xun once lamented in an interview with FTV News that a good pair of bamboo-root jiaobei — from collection, sun-drying, shade-drying, to cutting — often takes several years. In Taiwanese Hokkien, "bamboo" (竹, tik) is a homophone of "virtue" (德, tik), so the bamboo-root jiaobei carries the deeper meaning of "retaining virtue (retaining bamboo)." This is not merely craftsmanship; it is an act of reverence toward the divine.
📝 Curator's Note: While we chase the speed of answers, the craftsman pursues the depth of the material — because only bamboo roots that have endured a thousand hammerings can carry the heaviest prayers of the faithful.
The Science of Sheng-Bei: Is the Probability Really Only 50%?
From a mathematical standpoint, casting jiaobei appears to be a simple binomial distribution problem. One flat side and one convex side is a sheng-bei (聖筊, divine approval); two flat sides is a xiao-bei (笑筊, unclear or amused); two convex sides is a yin-bei (陰筊, denial). Theoretically, the probability of casting a sheng-bei should be 50%.
However, according to research by PanSci (泛科學) and several youth science awards, because the shape of the jiaobei is not a perfect geometric solid, its center of gravity is biased toward the convex side. When the blocks land, the probability of the flat side facing up is actually slightly higher than the convex side (approximately 53% to 56%). This means that, aided by the laws of physics, the gods are actually more generous in granting sheng-bei than we might imagine — the probability falls somewhere between 50% and 52%.
This tiny physical bias can, in extreme cases, turn into jaw-dropping legend. Every Lunar New Year, Citian Temple in Guiliao, Pingtong, holds a "Jiaobei Grand Contest." In 2026, the top prize was raised to NT$3 million in cash, with the condition of casting 20 consecutive sheng-bei. In probability terms, this is roughly a one-in-a-million miracle (1/2^20). To date, the temple's record still stands at 17 consecutive sheng-bei — a peak of luck that even a math teacher would find hard to explain.
Standing Jiaobei: When Physics Temporarily Fails
In temple news across Taiwan, nothing generates more buzz than the "standing jiaobei" — when the blocks land and balance on their tips or edges, standing upright without falling.
Folk religion experts usually interpret this as the gods issuing a "major instruction" or a sign of "divine power manifesting." But in scientific terms, it is typically related to floor friction, the degree of wear on the block's edges, and the angle of rotation at the moment of the throw. Nevertheless, when a devotee in deep anxiety sees a pair of standing jiaobei, that "supernatural" visual impact can instantly transform into powerful psychological comfort.
"Standing jiaobei are not common. It means the gods are not speaking, or that your request is too much," one experienced temple keeper shared on social media. Sometimes the standing jiaobei is the gods' way of reminding the devotee: you are asking the wrong question, or you already have the answer in your heart — why ask again?
📝 Curator's Note: Science explains why the blocks stand; faith explains why we need them to stand.
Challenges and Controversies: The Tug-of-War Between Ecology and Tradition
As environmental awareness rises, jiaobei divination also faces the challenge of modernization. Traditional bamboo-root jiaobei are increasingly scarce because collection is difficult and digging up bamboo roots can damage soil and water conservation. They have been replaced by plastic versions, which are durable and low-cost but lack that sense of "connection to the earth."
In addition, in recent years many temples have tied jiaobei contests to large cash prizes, sparking controversy over the "commercialization of faith." Critics argue that this turns a solemn act of seeking divine guidance into a form of gambling. Supporters, however, see it as a "necessary evil" to attract young people into temples and help them engage with traditional culture.
Conclusion: The Crisp Sound of Landing
When that pair of red jiaobei bounces and flips across the terrazzo floor, finally producing a crisp clack, the entire temple seems to hold its breath in that moment.
No matter how science explains that 50% probability, or how devotedly the craftsman pursues the grain of the bamboo root, for the devotee kneeling on the cushion, that single sheng-bei is the warmest affirmation in the world. In the uncertainty of modern life, we still need these crescent-shaped wooden blocks to tell us, in the crisp sound of their landing: Don't be afraid — go ahead and try.
References
- Jiaobei — Religious Artifacts — National Religion Information Network (primary source)
- Bamboo-Riaobei Craftsman Huang Yi-xun Has Dedicated Over 30 Years to Studying Bamboo-Riaobei — FTV News (primary source)
- The Probability of Casting Sheng-Bei Is Higher Than You Think — PanSci
- Pingtung Guiliao Citian Temple Jiaobei Grand Contest — Yahoo News
- The Endangered Art of Bamboo-Riaobei: Huang Yi-xun's Efforts to Preserve It — Traditional Arts Online
- The Practice and Evolution of Jiaobei in Folk Life — China Folklore Web