Modern Taipei Keeps a Centuries-Old Festival Alive

TaiwanPlus News

A god sets out on a night patrol in Taipei’s Wanhua District every year, his path carved by fireworks.   During the tenth month of the lunisolar calendar, the Qingshan King and his entourage of eight generals make sure the area remains free of evil spirits. The Qingshan King Festival is a nearly 200-year-old tradition that marks the god’s birthday — and has remained a constant feature in a quickly changing city.    Reporters: Bryn Thomas/ Zalán Sata  Videographer: Justin Wu  Video Editor: Alison Nguyen  #TaiwanPlusNews #Taiwan #Taipei  #Wanhua #QingshanKing

Transcript

00:00The Qingshan King and his entourage are making sure that Taipei's Wanhua district remains free of evil spirits.

00:11The Qingshan King festival is an ancient tradition marking the god's birthday, and fireworks light the way as he sets out on his patrol.

00:20The eight generals, their faces painted red or green, march to capture, torture, and scare off any evil spirits haunting the neighborhood.

00:29They wield weapons like those of ancient China.

00:33This night patrol marches alongside buglers, announcing the king's arrival upon a palanquin, shouldered by faithful volunteers.

00:42Every year we will participate.

00:44We have no decision.

00:46From childhood to childhood, this活動 is a year.

00:51It's like our new year, a small year.

00:54The tradition has survived pandemics, two world wars, and multiple governments.

00:59The festival still looks much like it did in the 1850s, when immigrants from Fujian brought the Qingshan King to the area.

01:06For almost two centuries, it has seen the city grow, sprawling far beyond its original borders and filling the surrounding basin.

01:15Known variously as Wanhua, Mongka, or Bangka, the neighborhood used to be a small settlement in northern Taiwan.

01:22It later joined with neighboring Dadaocheng to become part of Taipei Prefecture, what eventually became the modern capital city.

01:29Today, the crowds are bigger than ever.

01:36The festival has gone from a neighborhood ritual to a national spectacle.

01:42The Qingshan King Festival remains a defining part of Wanhua as Taipei continues to transform and evolve.

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