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Taiwan Festivals and Events
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Festival of the God of Medicine
Taiwan, 7th April, 2000
One of the greatest processions in Taiwan's calendar of traditional
festivals is celebrated each year to honor the 10th century
healer, Wu Pen, who was eventually declared a god. The festival
is held at Hsuehchia on the banks of the General (Chiangchun)
River in Tainan County. The great procession that honors the
God of Medicine stretches over 3km (1.8 miles( and includes
parade floats covered with fresh flowers and legendary figures,
status of the Medicine God atop elaborate sedan chairs borne
by believers, and troupes of acrobats. This parade is perhaps
the largest gathering of acrobats in Taiwan.
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Birthday of the Goddess of the Sea
Taiwan, 19th April, 2000
According to legend, Matsu was born in A.D.960. Using mystical
powers while dreaming, young Matsu tried to save her father
and brothers from drowning after a typhoon sank their ship.
Upon walking she learned that her brothers had been miraculously
saved, but her father had drowned. At the age of 28, the myth
relates, Matsu ascended to heaven. Her miracles continued,
and Matsu earned the titles Goddess of the Sea and Empress
Temple.
Matsu, patron saint of fishermen, is one of the most venerated
deities in the Chinese pantheon, and her birthday is celebrated
with elaborate rites in Taiwan's hundreds of Matsu temples.
The largest celebrations are at Peiking's Chaotien Temple
and Hsinkang's Fentien Temple.
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Dragon Boat Festival
Taiwan, 18th June, 2000
The legend behind the colorful Dragon Boat Festival concerns
a famous Chinese poet named Chu Yuan, who lived during the
War-ring States period (403-221 B.C). A loyal court official,
he was discredited by rivals and lost the trust of his king.
Unable to regain the king's favor, the despondent poet drowned
himself on the fifth lunar month in the year 277 B.C. The
common people who lived in the area respected the exiled official
so much that they jumped into their boats and rushed out to
save Chu Yuan. The annual Dragon Boat Festivals commemorates
this unsuccessful rescue attemp.
The festive boat races are held on rivers and lakes around
the island, as well as on the sea in the Penghu Archipelago.
Large crowds attend the races in Taipei, Lukang, Tainan, and
Kaohsiung.
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Ghost Month
Keelung, 4th or 5th September, 2000
On the first day of the seventh lunar month, known as Ghost
Month, the gates of hell open wide and the spirits are allowed
a month of feasting and revelry in the world of the living.
To ensure that the ghost enjoy a pleasant vacation, lavish
feast are set out, paper "spirit money" is burned for their
use, and Taiwanese operas are performed. To ensure that the
ghosts don't get lose on their way to this feast, lanterns
are attached to tall bamboo poles in temple courtyards to
act as beacons for the wondering spirits. Lanterns are also
floated on lakes and streams at this time because of a Chinese
legend, which asserts that the spirits of people who have
drowned are confined to the place where they died unless they
can find substitute victims. This special month is celebrated
most actively in Keelung, and the festivals always attract
thousands of visitors.
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Double Tenth National Day
Taipei and other major cities, 10th October, 2000
The last major festival of the year is the Republic of China's
national day. In 1911, Dr. Sun Yat-sen inspired an uprising
in Wuhan that spread throughout the country, toppled the Ching
(Manchu) dynasty, and established the Republic of China, Asia's
first republican government. The uprising began on October 10,
also known as Double Tenth, and the data is observed annually
as the ROC's National Day.
It is marked with grand parades, folk dances, acrobatics, lion
and dragon dances and displays of martial arts in the plaza
in front of Taipei's Presidential Office Building. A huge fireworks
show over the Tamsui River ends the day.
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