Taiwan is home to approximately 12,000 temples, ranging from tiny shrines dedicated to folk gods to enormous complexes that attract tens of thousands of devotees on a daily basis. Though they primarily serve as houses of worship, temples have also long been focal points for social activities of every kind.
Temples come into their own during festivals that celebrate gods’ birthdays or other special religious occasions. Take the Mazu pilgrimage, which takes place during the third lunar month, for example. The event is Taiwan’s largest religious activity, with millions of worshippers taking part each year.
Of courses, no temple fair would be complete without a parade featuring some engaging performances. In addition to lion dance, zhen tou, meaning “leader of the parade in a temple festival,” is an essential part of these occasions. The purpose of zhen tou processions is to provide a way for gods to inspect the area they are in charge of and hear the grievances of nearby spirits. The parades include representations of various gods as well as the Eight Generals, who wear gaudy clothing and walk ahead of the processions to drive away evil spirits.
Temple fairs are constantly punctuated by the sounds of drums, gongs, trumpets and firecrackers. However, even if you take away this auditory stimulation, the huge variety of engaging sights at these events can still enliven the senses.
Write to Jim Hwang at cyhuang03@mofa.gov.tw
Lion dancers perform during the Mazu pilgrimage at Dajia Jenn Lann Temple in Taichung City’s Dajia District. (Photo by Chang Su-ching)
Devotees gather for a procession at Dazhong Temple in New Taipei City’s Xinzhuang District. (Photo by Lee Chang-hung)
Parade participants take Kinmen County’s town god, a local folk deity, on a tour of the area around the temple built in his honor during a religious festival on the offshore island of Kinmen. (Photo by Chen Kung-an)
Devotees follow a palanquin bearing the goddess Mazu at Chaotian Temple in Beigang Township, Yunlin County. Kneeling beneath the palanquin is believed to bring good fortune. (Photo by Sullivan Chen)