Girl Temple
Taiwan · Asia
About
In Taiwanese folk religion, yin miao (Chinese: 陰廟; pinyin: Yīnmiào; lit. 'dark temple') are temples dedicated to wandering and homeless spirits, as opposed to yang miao, which are dedicated to deities. According to local beliefs, ghosts without a permanent resting place (as in a grave) wander in the human realm and may cause trouble for the living. Therefore, yin miao serve as such resting places for these spirits as a form of respect and to maintain peace. Temples dedicated to deities associated with afterlife, like Cheng Huang Ye or Di Zang Wang, are not considered yin miao.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.