For those unfortunates who aren’t aware of Guai-Guais, they’re similar to Cheetohs or Cheezy-Poofs, only sugary rather than cheesy / salty. The particular flavor we’re talking about here is coconut. google.com.tw/search?q=guai … BHkQsAQIHA
While visiting my school’s broadcast technology center, I saw bags of Guai-Guais piled on top of some of the computer equipment. I assumed that the staff there just had an unusually strong taste for Guai-Guais, but it turned out that they were put there in order to fix the equipment. I guess this is more or less the same reasoning that leads them to offer junk food to ghosts every August / September, or Taipei City Hall to collect pre-owned (but not used, thank God) feminine hygiene products as lucky charms to help other women conceive. Anyway, this confirms my longstanding theory that computers are magic, and can’t be explained by science alone.
I am having terrible luck operating the CNC machine today. Inserts on a face mill had to be changed due to fixture failure, and the other one had issues with the augur that conveys the metal shavings out of the machine (got stuck on a hidden piece of metal)…
So the staff pile bags of Guai-Guai on equipment to fix or prevent malfunction?
The title of this thread was misleading. I thought This thread was that how the product could possibly do something like suck the moisture away or repair something like gum would.
Did the staff give you a theory on how it works? Does it keep the house elves or other spirits busy or paid off?
Yes, there are some thing like house elves or Gremlins in Taiwanese folk religion. Their name just escapes me at the moment.
The office head of my (international) IT company believes in this stuff. She’s sure things went south because I ate the Guai Guai that was on my table after the big company Bai Bai. Recently the Guai Guai at another department suddenly have a sign next to them which says “not for eating”. In German. Im the only German speaking person around. Well, what can I say… Paisei?
On your table (desk)?
For a minute I thought you took food from the Bai Bai table like Jake Long, American Dragon
(a good cartoon for English learning, even I enjoy it. See Chinese New Year episode where Jake, whose father isn’t Chinese does all the faux pas you can think of. I use it for class)
Anyway, after the Bai Bai, you should be able to eat it. It’s encouraged. The family share all the food after Bai Bai.
In fact, if they recycle this stuff for Bai Bai, they may be short changing the ancestors and spirits.
The food is presented. The ancestors are called to partake of the feast. As it was explained to me,. The essence or what makes that food what it is is taken. They have their fill and the rest is left for us.
if we keep recycling the same bags, that food could metaphysical depleted.
Ok, here’s what you do. Near the Bai Bai table there should be a set of wooden shells.
The person who runs the bai bai used it to judge whether the guests have had their fill.
It’s like a magic 8 ball. You ask your question and then you throw the shells. How they land is the answer. I don’t do this but from what I see, there are three or four possible answers, yes, no and smile.
There may be a forth but I don’t know. Maybe someone here can instruct us how to use them.
You can ask the following questions.
Do you know that they are recycling the Guai-Guai?
Are happy with this?
And…
Can I have some?
Good Luck. If they get angry ( the spirits) I can suggest a medium whom I’m convinced has that Michael J Fox psychic scam going on.
Yeah, the stuff was shared after baibai. And everything except the guaiguai is ok to be eaten.
Guaiguai obviously has been blessed during the procedure of being eaten by our company ancestors (we change names every few years, so I expect there are quite a few ghost businesses partaking) and thus more effective.
Anyway, those wooden shells / sweet potatoes don’t work. I tried it. It gave the wrong answer and led to some stupid decisions ^^
I found the idea that people actually do this (commonly) to be overstated. Well, until today. I guess I just haven’t noticed until having read this thread.
Visiting a public, government kindergarten today, I noticed bags of green 乖乖 snacks all over the place (computers, cubbies, different learning centers). I asked the director (a well-educated, logical individual) and she, as well as another teacher, simply explained the practice was to keep things in order, well-behaved, functional. Only the green bags are considered to be effective. Not too be eaten. As a visiting prof, I was free to ask a bit directly if this wasn’t just superstition (迷信). Straight-faced responses indicated that this tradition is well and truly believed.
Going over to the affiliated elementary school, I had a look around and didn’t see any. After asking one of the directors, he pointed out that there were bags behind (hidden?) the desks of another director and a group leader. I will keep looking into this. I’ve been in Taiwan over 15 years and never noticed. I just assumed it was some kid’s snack. Now this is a good opportunity for me to use the green 乖乖 snacks to joke around.
I had wondered if anyone had thought of designing scooter helmets with associated imagery, but I guess not (wearing a green hat, 戴綠帽). Taiwan’s an interesting place to live. I learn something new every day.
