What are the three most common traditional festivals in mainland China and Taiwan?

Category: Region >> Taiwan Analysis: They are from the same culture, how could there be only three of them?

More than three.

Refer to the following memorial activities. As an immigrant society, the concept of ancestor worship and returning leaves to their roots is unique to Taiwanese and is also an important aspect of Chinese culture.

In Taiwan, every household enshrines the memorial tablets of their ancestors. Whenever there is a major event or festival, ancestors must be paid their respects first.

The ancestral genealogy and traditional ancestor worship rituals are still passed down from generation to generation among Taiwanese people.

Taiwanese folk generally hold various festivals and activities during annual festivals, and the number is astonishing.

According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 15 kinds of festivals every month, and there are as many as 47 kinds in the first month of the lunar calendar.

Sacrificial activities in Taiwanese folk customs mainly include the birthday ceremonies of Confucius and Mazu, the ancestor worship ceremony on Shangbaijiao, the City God's Tour Ceremony, the Ghost Festival Purdue Ceremony, and the Zheng Chenggong Ceremony.

(1) Confucius’ Birthday Ceremony The sage teacher Confucius has a very special status in Taiwan’s folk beliefs.

In the early days, the ceremony to honor Confucius was held in spring and autumn. Later, it was held on September 28th of the lunar calendar every year, the anniversary of the birth of Confucius, and this day was designated as Teachers' Day.

There are only twelve Confucius temples built in Taiwan, the largest one is the "Taipei Confucius Temple" located to the west of Taipei Yuanshan Zoo.

On the day of the Confucius Memorial Ceremony, a grand and solemn ceremony will be held. Not only teachers and students of the school will participate, but all government officials at all levels will also be present to show respect for teachers and education.

(2) Mazu’s Birthday Ceremony March 23 of the lunar calendar is the birthday of Mazu, a water goddess believed by residents along the southeastern coast of China.

According to legend, Mazu often travels on the sea to rescue people from danger, so sailing people believe in her and call her their nanny.

In the 33rd year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, a monk named Shubi crossed the sea from Meizhou in Putian County, Fujian Province to carry a statue of Mazu and built a small temple in Beigang to worship Mazu. From then on, Mazu "settled down" in Taiwan.

Since Taiwan is surrounded by the sea, when mainland residents cross the sea and immigrate to Taiwan, they often feel protected by Mazu. Moreover, many people in Taiwan are engaged in fishing, so there are many people who believe in Mazu.

There are now a total of 383 Mazu temples in Taiwan, among which Chaotian Temple in Beigang is the most popular.

Every year, March 23 of the lunar calendar is Mazu’s birthday. Starting from the first month of the year, devotees who believe in Mazu flock to the Chaotian Temple in Beigang from all over Taiwan to hold a grand incense pilgrimage to celebrate Mazu’s birthday.

The entire incense-burning birthday celebration ceremony is solemn, grand and lively.

Pilgrims are full of piety and travel long distances to offer incense. The sacrifices are piled up, incense is swirling, the sound of firecrackers is heard, and the performances to reward the gods are dizzying.

The best time to offer incense is on the 19th and 20th of March in the lunar calendar, when Mazu goes around the border in Beigang.

At 9 o'clock in the morning, people carried Mazu shrines and started the grand celebration of Mazu's annual parade around the country amidst the deafening sound of firecrackers.

Mazu, escorted by the "clairvoyant" generals and the "shunfenger" generals, circled the streets and alleys of Beigang Town. Wherever the shrine passed, every household opened its doors, placed offerings, and set off firecrackers to drive away evil spirits and monsters.

In the patrol team, the lion formation, Songjiang formation, drum formation, eight generals, etc. each set up their formations and performed their special tricks.

Various art pavilions rented by various business groups and neighbors are also on the streets. There are ancient, fashionable, static and all kinds of art pavilions, which are dazzling.

The streets in front of the temple were packed with people offering incense and watching the excitement.

Every year Mazu celebrates her birthday and prays for peace every year.

This ancient ritual activity has become an indispensable part of the life of Taiwanese people.

There are more than 300 temples dedicated to "Mazu" in Taiwan Province, and the shrine was brought to Taiwan by a "doppelg?nger" from Fujian Province.

The main temples dedicated to worship include Chaotian Temple and Magong Tianhou Temple in Beigang Town, Yunlin County.

General families and households all contribute tribute.

There is a folk proverb in Taiwan that "worships Mazu and cherishes the motherland."

(3) Shangbaijiao to pay homage to ancestors. Baijiao refers to Baijiao Township in Tong'an County, Quanchuan District, Fujian Province. Shangbaijiao means coming to Baijiao on the mainland. It shows that the descendants of the soldiers and civilians who followed Zheng Chenggong came to worship from a distance.

The Jigong Ancestral Temple in Baijiao Township, Fujian, is built to commemorate the ancestors of the mainland.

Every year on March 21 of the lunar calendar, the Tzu Chi Palace in Xuejia Town, Tainan, holds the grand Shangbaijiao ancestor worship ceremony.

On the one hand, they remember their ancestors on the mainland; on the other hand, they pay homage to the Tzu Chi Temple in Baijiao Township, Tong'an County, Fujian Province.

This ceremony has lasted for more than 300 years from Zheng Chenggong's arrival in Taiwan to the present, and has never been interrupted. It fully demonstrates the spirit of the Chinese nation to drink water without forgetting its roots.

At this time of year, many pilgrims, monks and tourists gather in this small town. The number of people sometimes exceeds 200,000. It is really lively and grand.

Especially when the grand ancestor worship ceremony for the 320th anniversary of Zheng Chenggong was held on March 21 of the lunar calendar in 1981, 100,000 people participated.

On this day of the festival, people who are working or studying abroad rush back to the town as much as possible to bring the statue of Emperor Baosheng from the Tzu Chi Palace to the place where he landed on the bank of Jiangjun Creek to pay homage to his homeland in the distance.

People in Xuejia regard this ceremony as an extremely important event, and believers of Baosheng Emperor from all over Taiwan also traveled thousands of miles to Xuejia Town to participate in the ceremony, carrying palanquins, holding umbrellas, and beating gongs and drums.