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Finding Peace in the Alley
tbh most of the ones tucked into walls around there are 石敢當 or just general 五營 markers, not all shrines for worshipping. some are there to block bad energy at a lane junction or a T-intersection, which is why you'll notice they sit right where the alley bends or splits. the tiny ones with no statue, just a stone or a red cloth, those are the ward-off type. if you shoot them, late afternoon light hits the lane off the high school's east wall best, around 4:30, and nobody minds as long as you don't move anything or stand in someone's doorway.
behind song shan high school is basically fude temple territory, that whole block sits on what used to be rice paddies so every plot kept its own little earth god spot when they built over it. the shrines facing the lane rather than the street are usually the older ones, landlords flip them toward the alley so they dont have to deal with permits. if u go back, check the one with the red tin roof halfway down, someone still burns 3 sticks every morning around 6, that smell of jasmine u noticed is actually from the 玉蘭花 tree next to it
those are 土地公 shrines, tudigong, the earth god. pretty much every old block in that area has one tucked into a wall corner or under a staircase, some going back decades & maintained by whoever lives closest. if ur into the photo thing, the cluster near the lane off Songshan Rd by the high school wall is worth a slow walk, some have fresh fruit & incense replaced daily so you catch people tending them around 7-8am
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Seeking recommendations for facial or massage treatments targeting jaw tension and TMJ issues
For muscle-based jaw tightness, the traditional 推拿 places often do better than the fancy facial spas, and they're cheaper. There's a small 國術館 near Shuanglian I go to for neck and jaw stuff, the guy works the masseter from outside and does traction on the cervical spine, which is where a lot of referred jaw tension actually starts. Around NT$800 for 40 minutes, no booking app, you just walk in. It won't fix a real joint problem but if your issue is muscular clenching it's worth a try.
if its actual tmj stuff and not just cosmetic face massage, go see a dentist who does 咬合板 (occlusal splint) first, the massage places treat the symptom not the joint. dr chen at a clinic off fuxing south road near daan park sorted my clicking in like 3 visits, mostly by adjusting my bite & giving me a night guard. the relief from that lasted way longer than any spa facial i tried
my physio at a small clinic near Liuzhangli MRT did intraoral work on my masseter and pterygoid muscles, basically gloved finger inside the cheek releasing trigger points. weird at first but it fixed the morning headaches within maybe 4 sessions. its not a spa thing at all, its rehab, so book it as a medical visit. 針灸 also helped me, the needles go in the jaw and temple, but the physio did more for the actual tightness.