TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A birthday celebration for the Land God, also known as Tudigong (土地公), was held at Shilong Temple (石龍宮) in Nantou County with altar tables stacked high with instant noodles on Monday (March 11).

According to Shilong Temple Chair Wu Chang-yuan (吳常源), more than 50,000 devotees visited the temple over the past three days. Per temple custom, each visitor was invited to consume a free bowl of instant noodles, per Liberty Times.

Wu estimated that a total of 1.2 million packs of instant noodles have been consumed at the temple since the start of the Lunar New Year.

The second day of the second lunar month is known as the birthday of the Land God, and at this temple, devotees seek merit with boxes of instant noodles. Not only do visitors bring instant noodles, but they are also allowed to consume the noodles left by devotees.

There was a traffic jam on Longnan Road leading to Shilong Temple. To entertain crowds, the temple brought out an electric piano and created a temporary dining area in the courtyard to feed the hungry worshipers.

Cardboard boxes transporting the instant noodles were carried away by a recycling truck, which required six trips to complete the task.