As Chinese military and coast guard activity intensifies around Taiwan, one Taiwan Coast Guard officer says his frontline duties are reinforced not only by training and discipline but also by religious faith that has guided him since childhood.
In a rare firsthand account reported by Reuters, Yeh Chih-sheng, first mate aboard Taiwan Coast Guard vessel CG1005, described how temple charms blessed by the Five Lords accompany him on patrols through the Taiwan Strait. Stationed in Taiwan’s Penghu archipelago, Yeh serves on one of the vessels tasked with monitoring waters where China has steadily increased its presence while asserting sovereignty over the democratically governed island.
Away from his official responsibilities, Yeh serves as an assistant priest, known locally as a “sio-huat,” at a temple in Penghu dedicated to the Five Lords. The deities have long been worshipped by coastal communities and fishermen who seek protection at sea and relief from disease. Yeh has participated in temple rituals since primary school, assisting spirit mediums during ceremonies in which worshippers believe the deities descend to deliver guidance.
Speaking to Reuters, Yeh said both his religious role and his coast guard service provide reassurance to the public in different ways. He said the Coast Guard offers visible protection, while the Five Lords serve as a spiritual source of comfort for fishermen and ordinary citizens.
Yeh said that combination of professional duty and faith has become increasingly important as Taiwan faces mounting military pressure from China. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects China’s sovereignty claims and opposes Beijing’s assertion that it has the authority to conduct law enforcement patrols in Taiwan’s waters.
China’s activities have also drawn international attention. Reuters reported that the United States and some of its allies said last week that recent Chinese operations off Taiwan’s eastern coast threatened regional stability. China’s Ministry of Defence responded by stating that its Coast Guard patrols were lawful, legitimate and necessary.
Reuters was granted rare access aboard Yeh’s vessel in the Penghu islands, which sit along the strategically important Taiwan Strait through which billions of dollars in global trade pass annually. During the patrol, Yeh said Chinese naval and coast guard vessels now frequently cross the median line that once served as an unofficial buffer between the two sides and approach Taiwan’s 24-nautical-mile contiguous zone.
According to Yeh, Taiwan’s Coast Guard responds by monitoring the vessels and issuing warnings through loudspeakers, radio messages, LED display boards and water cannon while avoiding unnecessary escalation. He said the force operates under the principle of “not provoking and not yielding” as it carries out maritime patrols.
Yeh also carries temple talismans and ceremonial command tablets with him during missions. Standing beside the temple’s Chienchiu Paochien, a ceremonial divine boat, he told Reuters that the vessel symbolises the same mission as his coast guard ship: safeguarding the Taiwan Strait and protecting fishermen and local communities. He said the objective of both institutions is to preserve people’s sense of safety and peace of mind, allowing daily life to continue despite growing tensions in the waters surrounding Taiwan.
