Nankunshen Temple

 

60-Year Grand Inspection

Madou Incense Festival

Tainan‘Incense Presentation’ Festival

Branch Temple Network Covers the Globe

Night of the Dahu Faithful at Xiaolong

The Five Lords in Thailand

 

 

Night of the Dahu Faithful at Xiaolong

Night of the Dahu Faithful at Xiaolong


Many temples worshipping Wang Ye are branches of Nankunshen Daitian Temple. Bihu Temple in Neihu Township, Kaohsiung County was the earliest. Lord Chifu had been worshipped there since 1786 and, when a formal temple was finally dedicated in 1800, altars were also added for the other four. Bihu then spawned many branch temples of its own, which spread until they covered much of the area now embraced by Kaohsiung City and County. Through most of its history, Bihu has organized every 15th of (lunar calendar) March a religious pilgrimage to Nankunshen Daitian Temple – a pilgrimage joined by many thousands of faithful from its expanding family of branch temples. Following tradition, the day afterward, pilgrims would continue northward on foot until they arrived at Xigang through Zhugaocuo in Tainan County. Before worshiping the Five Lords in Xigang, the group would spend the night at Xiaolong (today’s Jiali), which gave this pilgrimage its popular name - the Night of the Dahu Faithful at Xiaolong. After offering incense the next morning, the assembled worshippers would prepare to follow the same route home. This annual religious festival nearly disappeared during the first half of the 20th century, while Taiwan was under Japanese rule. It was revived in 1987 and continues today; although most worshippers choose to ride in vehicles rather than walk the route on foot.


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