The Grand Wangye Worship Festival Events in Donggang and Xiaoliuqiu to Unfold in October

The triennial “Wangye Worship Festival” in Donggang and Xiaoliuqiu, Pingtung County, is set to kick off this October. The festival will begin in Donggang from October 14 to 21, followed by Xiaoliuqiu from November 2 to 8. Spanning nearly a month, the “Wangye Worship Festival” is expected to attract hundreds of parade troupes and over a million worshippers and tourists from across the country.

Donggang’s Donglong Temple Wangye Worship Festival was designated as an important folk “cultural asset” by the Council for Cultural Affairs (now the Ministry of Culture) in 2010 (the 99th year of the Republic of China). Its grand scale is arguably unmatched across Taiwan. Meanwhile, the unique “Observing the Royal Sedan” tradition is a cultural custom exclusive to Liuqiu Township, preserving the century-old practice of “eating where you roam—whether in the county or the prefecture.” For local residents, the Wangye Worship is akin to an unspoken promise with the deities. All fishermen working away from home or at sea abroad make every effort to return and take part in this grand celebration.

Beyond the Wangye Worship festivities, the abundant recreational resources of Dapeng Bay and Xiaoliuqiu are also worth exploring, such as Taiwan’s only pocket-shaped lagoon, the opening-style Pengwan Cross-Sea Bridge, the golden archway at Donglong Temple, and the coral island of Xiaoliuqiu. Donggang is a fishing village and Xiaoliuqiu an offshore island, so their local street foods are often unique to Taiwan—whether it’s Donggang oyster vermicelli, fried milkfish, or black sugar mochi, all are incredibly distinctive. In addition, the area offers a wide range of seafood options, including fresh fish, shrimp, and shellfish, as well as local specialties like peanut candy, dried tofu, and grilled squid. It’s a paradise for foodies.

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