after watching a video in class
Me: I thought the part where the paper makers have a meeting was interesting. The mentioned they needed to build a temple to Cai Lun — Cai Lun was the first guy to make paper, right? — they said they needed to build a temple to Cai Lun or else people would think poorly of them.
Teacher Lin: Yes. In China most houses have a private alter, where people pray to their ancestors, but some people also pray or idolize other gods, especially professionals in a certain field regularly pray to the same god. Like the paper makers pray to Cai Lun, or teachers have Confucius and some others, or the police pray to Guan Gong.
Me: Guan Gong, the guy with the red face?
Teacher Lin: Yes.
Me: I’ve heard that gangsters also pray to Guan Gong.
Teacher Lin: Yes.
Me: Oh.
