00:01Smack-dab in the middle of the third lunar month, this temple is celebrating the birthday of Baosheng Dati,
00:06a deity associated with medicine, wellness, and longevity.
00:09Let's see how a thousand-year-old God is celebrated.
00:36The festival's activities have their roots in traditional practices brought over to Taiwan
00:41from China centuries ago.
00:42A band plays traditional folk songs, while visitors burn Joss paper and set up early to try and get the
00:47best view for the rest of the night.
00:49Rainy weather did little to dampen the enthusiasm.
00:52Long-time visitors say festival crowds have only grown in recent years.
01:03Attendees have different reasons for coming to the months-long festivities.
01:05This is an event to protect everyone from the worst and worst.
01:10I've been here five times.
01:12Their culture,除了燒火師以外,
01:15every day there's a song in Taiwan.
01:19It's also very impressive.
01:21If you have a disease, or you want to take care of it,
01:25or you have to take care of it,
01:27you will be able to pray for the rest of the day.
01:44The Bauan Temple and its cultural rights have been recognized by UNESCO, raising its profile and making it even more
01:49famous.
01:50First-time observers enjoyed the show, too.
01:52We were just walking back to our hotel, and we heard the music, so we said,
01:57oh, come on, we have to go.
01:59It's not only a show, it's just for theft, you know, and it's fantastic to be here at that moment.
02:07Temple volunteers lay down fireworks and firecrackers in the street,
02:10while the band gets the crowd ready for the main event.
02:13Finally, volunteers start setting off fireworks, getting progressively closer to the line in the center,
02:18and then the real highlight begins.
02:20Taiwan's religious life has never been more vibrant.
02:23Between tonight's celebration, the recent Matsu pilgrimages,
02:26and the countless events at local temples around the country,
02:29it seems that this part of Taiwan's past will stay a fixture for its future.
02:32Chris Ma and Larry Siano in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.
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