TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Thousands gathered in Budai Township, Chiayi County, on Wednesday as temple groups carried palanquins through a waterway to welcome visiting guardian deities.
CNA reported that the annual event was held at Hsinwen Jiaying Temple. The temple festival is one of Budai’s best-known religious events and has a history of more than 100 years.
The ritual began Wednesday morning at Wangchuan Pier. Firecrackers, drums, and gongs sounded as dozens of palanquins were carried one after another into the water.
Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang (翁章梁), DPP Legislator Tsai Yi-yu (蔡易餘), and Budai Township Mayor Tsai Wei-chieh (蔡瑋傑) joined residents at the pier. Thousands of people from nearby areas also gathered to watch and take part.
Hsinwen Jiaying Temple said this year’s celebration will last three days, UDN reported. Events include the water ritual, a community procession, traditional opera, and folk performances.
The temple said the festival is held to pray for good weather, public safety, good health, and a strong fishing season. Budai is a coastal township where fishing remains an important part of local life.
Weng said the ritual shows the warmth and close ties of Taiwan’s temple culture. He said Hsinwen is at its liveliest during the annual event.
The temple said the tradition is linked to 22 guardian deities worshipped at Jiaying Temple. Two stay at the temple in rotation, while others are believed to protect nearby waters and mountain areas, per CTEE.
Liberty Times reported that local belief says the visiting deities gather at sea each year on the 27th day of the third lunar month. They are then welcomed back to the pier as the tide comes in.
The temple said the palanquins rush through the water as a sign of respect and welcome for the visiting deities. Nearby temples and worship groups also join, turning the event into a major gathering for the coastal community.
The celebration is both a religious event and a local cultural festival. It highlights Budai’s coastal traditions and the role temples play in bringing residents together.
