Traditional Arts Center Kicks Off Blessing Ceremony for Exam-Taking Students with the "Confucius of Taiwan"

▲ Starting in May, the Traditional Arts Center is holding a one-month series of soul-soothing and reassuring ceremonies for students, themed around blessings at the Wenchang Shrine. (Photo / Provided by the Traditional Arts Center)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

As exam season approaches, the National Center for Traditional Arts Yilan Campus (referred to as the Traditional Arts Center), operated by Uni-President Lanyang Cultural and Creative, has launched a one-month series of soul-soothing and reassuring ceremonies starting May 4, centered around blessings at the Wenchang Shrine specifically for students.

The Wenchang Shrine at the Traditional Arts Center is the first temple in Taiwan established by the national government. It primarily enshrines Wenchang Dijun and the

Shen Guangwen was a renowned literary figure during the Ming-Zheng period. In the early Qing Dynasty, he traveled to Taiwan, where he was initially honored by Zheng Chenggong. However, when Zheng Jing came into power, Shen wrote the "Taiwan Fu" to satirize the government, which put him in danger on several occasions. To avoid persecution, he became a monk on Dagangshan Mountain, traveled among various indigenous villages in the north-south regions, and eventually settled in Shanhua, Tainan. There, he established a private school, teaching the Plains Indigenous peoples to read and write, as well as providing medical care. In 1685, he founded Taiwan’s first classical Chinese poetry society, the "Dongyin Society," bringing together literati and gentry to critique current affairs.

Recognized for his contributions to education and extensive literary works, Shen is honored as the "Founding Father of Taiwanese Literature, Pioneer of Taiwan’s Development, and the Confucius of Taiwan," making him a foundational figure in Taiwan’s cultural enlightenment. In 1982 (the 71st year of the Republic of China), the Qingshan Temple in Shanhua, Tainan, enshrined a statue of Shen Guangwen alongside the Five Wenchang Deities, collectively referred to as the Six Wenchang. Today, through an invitation by the Cultural Arts Center's Wenchang Shrine, he is invited as a guest, and the exchange between the two temples also serves to continue folk customs and traditions.

During the Prayer for Blessings Festival, the Wenchang Shrine provides free petitions for blessing. The public can fill out prayer petitions, offer incense to make their wishes known, and receive talisman paper to create Wenchang talismans. Additionally, there is a “Blessing from Wenchang” ceremony, guided by ritual officiants, consisting of four parts: "Offering Incense and Worship," "Ringing the Bell to Awaken the Mind," "Initiating Fortune and Bestowing Blessings," "Blessings from the Deities," and "Prayer and Rotation for Good Fortune." The public reads their petitions in the main hall, and after the prayer offerings pass over the incense burner, the bell is rung, aiming to dispel distractions and bring smoothness in all endeavors. Finally, participants fill out prayer cards, place them in a six-sided wheel adorned with Wenchang talismans, and spin the prayer wheel, symbolizing the ushering in of good luck and success in exams.

▲ On May 11, the Cultural Arts Center Wenchang Shrine held a "Spirit Illumination and Fortune Activation" ceremony in the main hall, praying for success in examinations. (Photo / Provided by the Cultural Arts Center)

On May 11, the Wenchang Shrine held a "Spirit Illumination and Fortune Activation" ceremony in the main hall, inviting Taoist priests to bestow blessings upon students, praying for success in examinations. In addition, students, examinees, and parents from across the country are welcome to visit the Traditional Arts Center. Through religious faith, it offers solace to those feeling anxious before exams, bringing added composure and confidence on test day. The center also calls on students who participated in last year’s blessing event to return "to give thanks," encouraging them to repay the deities with gratitude and appreciation. All are invited to join the annual "class reunion" with the Wenchang Emperor, and participants will also receive small gifts.