But the young man was fighting cancer. And he didn't live long enough to undergo the ceremony.
Enter his sister, Zhiwei (芷瑋). She's 29 years old. When her brother passed, it was important to her to fulfill his dream. So she trained, and meditated, and fasted. Forty-nine days abstaining from meats and grains. She broke down once or twice and ate forbidden foods -- but when she did, she had vomiting fits. She decided this was the gods' decree, then.
Fourteen days before the ceremony, she began to dream of her brother. Every day he entered her dreams, teaching her how to climb the Sword Ladder. He told her that she had an important mission, reminding her that their father would have no one to follow in his footsteps if she didn't climb the swords.
She was terrified, but her brother's words inspired her; this was her mission now.Three days ago, the time came.
It was time to climb the Ladder of Swords.
The Sword Ladder, or Dāo tī (刀梯), is serious business. All 108 rungs of the ladder are swords, and the ladder towers to vertigo-inspiring heights. The swords are sharp enough to slice melons and cucumbers. The student is expected to climb barefoot to the top. At the top of the ladder is the "Sky Door," or "Door of Heaven," and usually something for the adept to bring back down, like a pennant.
Three days ago, it was time. Time for Miss Kang to climb the Ladder of Swords and receive the Ordination her brother aspired to, or back down.
First the area was purified. The Abbot performed the Five Camps Flag Military Ritual, cleansing the area. Then it was time for Miss Kang to begin. She stood barefoot in a bucket of water, then she stepped out of the bucket and stood on salt.
This was all the preparation her bare feet were given, before it was her turn to climb the Ladder of Swords.
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| She doesn't look too confident here. |
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| You can see that yellow paper talismans have been folded over the blades, for magical protection. |
She climbed back down from the Sky Door. She threw the Divination Blocks, drawing the Three Holy results. A wreath-laying blessing was performed, and Kang Zhiwei was proclaimed a Nu Daoshi (Daoist Priestess).
There's a new Daoshi in town! Kang Zhiwei said she hopes her brother is happy...she hopes he's not going to haunt her in her dreams anymore. But I hope to hear more of Kang Zhiwei's adventures in the future.
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http://blog.sina.com.tw/168vn/article.php?pbgid=131079&entryid=642324
http://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E7%88%B6%E9%A0%92%E8%AD%89%E6%9B%B8-%E7%99%BB108%E5%B1%A4%E5%8A%8D%E6%A2%AF-29%E6%AD%B2%E5%A5%B3%E6%99%89%E5%8D%87%E6%B3%95%E5%B8%AB-004626744.html
http://www.appledaily.com.tw/realtimenews/article/new/20130407/174004/
Video: http://video.udn.com/video/Item/ItemPage.do?sno=3-2B4-23343-2F303d3d3c4-233-2F323-2B3-2B4-233-2B