Join the frenzy of the Hungry Ghost Festival’s highlight — the “Hengchun Gua Competition” kicks off with excitement on the 20th!

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

One of the main highlights of the Hungry Ghost Festival, the “Hengchun Gua Competition,” will take place on August 20. This year, the Hengchun Township Office has invited 30 teams to compete, and most notably, celebrity Janet will lead the charge in the Gua event. Alongside the traditional Gua culture activities, there will also be a “City God Night Parade,” a hot music band competition, a cheerleading contest, and performances by singers Chen Shih-an and Julie Zhu over two consecutive nights, injecting new “sound” into this traditional folk event.

▲ The Hengchun Gua Competition, one of the traditional highlights of the Hungry Ghost Festival. (Photo / Courtesy of Hengchun Township Office Official Website)

The Hengchun Hungry Ghost Festival Gua Pole Competition attracts tens of thousands of participants every year. The township office stated that this year’s theme is “Hengchun Gua Gua Gun,” with 30 teams competing for a total prize pool of NT$300,000. To celebrate the completion of the new home of the Hengchun City God Temple, this year’s street carnival has been renamed the “City God Night Patrol.” Following last year’s highly popular college cheerleading competition, this year will also feature the first-ever college hot music band competition, with a total prize pool of nearly NT$1 million.

The township office noted that in previous years, thousands of Gua items were tossed to the crowds. Last year, paper vouchers wrapped in candy were introduced for the first time as a “candy toss,” which was extremely well-received. This year, the candy toss will be further expanded to 10,000 candies, with the hope that the public will “compete” for these symbolic good-luck items. Celebrity Janet will also lead her travel show “Fun Taiwan” in participating. Even Hong Kong star Andy Lau has reportedly shown great interest in the Hengchun Gua event, with rumors of a Gua-themed movie in production.

%? Janet will also participate in this year’s Hengchun Gua Competition. (Photo / Credit: Reporter Hsu Yiqun, file photo)

Regarding the muddy ground issues that have often drawn criticism in past Gua events, the township office said that significant improvements have been made this year. Even the shortage of restroom facilities has been addressed, hoping that the public will join in celebrating the over 130-year-old tradition of the Hengchun Gua Competition.