By Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported
The largest temple fair event in Kinmen, the “2012 Kinmen Welcomes the City God — Wudao Religious Culture Tourism Season,” will be held from April 9 to May 6, featuring a series of activities. A total of 27 City God temples from across Taiwan will join in, and the Zhenwu Temple of Mount Wudang on the Chinese mainland will also be invited to take part in the event, engaging in Wudang martial arts exchanges.
A distinctive feature of Kinmen’s temple fairs — the manpower-powered palanquin procession — is a cultural asset of southern Fujian folk belief. The bearers vigorously shake the palanquin from side to side to express reverence for the deity, differing from the god sedan chair-carrying style seen in other parts of Taiwan. (Photo by Travel Site's Chen Guanxin)
The “Wudao Welcomes the City God” event has a history of 332 years, and the “Welcome the City God — Wudao Religious Culture Tourism Season” is now in its third year. This year, a total of 27 City God temples, including the Xia Hai City God Temple, and over 800 participants will gather in Kinmen. The Zhenwu Temple of Mount Wudang (the ancestral temple of the Dark Heavenly Emperor) on the Chinese mainland has also been invited. Prayer ceremonies and Wudang sword performances will be held on April 14 and 15, marking the first time in a thousand years that the sacred image of the Dark Heavenly Emperor has left Mount Wudang in China.
During this year’s event, various weekends will feature palanquin processions, coming-of-age rituals, traditional performance troupe experiences, street carnival parades, and a folk arts and performance troupes expo. There will also be a grand joint performance of southern Fujian-style performance troupes, along with screenings of the movie “The Troupe.”
The Jiutian Folk Performance Troupe demonstrated the majestic presence of heavenly soldiers and generals with powerful drumbeats and striking facial makeup at today’s (27th) press conference. (Photo by Travel Site's Chen Guanxin)
● Extended Reading: 2012 Taiwan Lantern Festival Photo Contest — Prize of NT$500 per photo
www.tripass.net/article.php?op=articleinfo&articleid=7167