2017 Hsinchu City Zhuqian Zhongyuan City God Festival Opens the Tiger Gate, Unveiling the Start of the Events

At 11 PM last night (the 21st) (the zi hour of the first day of the seventh lunar month), the 2017 Zhuqian Zhongyuan City God Festival held the "Great Opening of the Blessed Gate, Setting the Spirits and Ghosts A sail" Tiger Gate opening ceremony at the Tiger Gate of the Sanchuan Hall of the Hsinchu City God Temple, officially unveiling the "Zhuqian Zhongyuan City God Festival" activities. The entire ceremony was also streamed live online on "Taiwan's Gods Are Mighty," and through the internet people across the country and Chinese people around the world could take part with zero distance from the spectacular scenes.

Mayor Lin Chih-chien said that he grew up watching the City God Temple hold its Zhongyuan procession activities, and it was deeply moving. He was especially struck by the unique "cangjia" (carrying the cangue). The cangjia is not only the highlight of the City God Festival every year, but also attracts more and more young people to take part and further understand the meaning of religious culture. He also invited people across the country to dress in the most eye-catching spirit-and-ghost costumes and join the "Old-Time Temple Fair Picnic Party" at Beida Park on September 3.

Cheng Keng-ya, secretary-general of the City God Temple, said that the "Opening the Tiger Gate" ceremony takes place at dawn on the first day of the seventh lunar month, the day Ghost Month begins. When the temple gate opens, the Tiger Gate is also opened to let the good brothers from the underworld out on holiday into the human world to enjoy a month of lavish feasting.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau said that after strengthened cultural promotion over the past two years, on the 30th day of the sixth lunar month the plaza in front of the City God Temple was almost packed with people who came to watch the ceremony, and the scene was very lively. Everyone held up their phones to take pictures of the Tiger Gate, turning the ghost gate opening ceremony, originally shrouded in the mystery of religious folk custom, into a cultural event that believers rushed to witness.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau said that after last night's "Tiger Gate Opening," four more exciting events will appear one after another, including the "Gather a Group for the Cangjia, Averting Disasters and Relieving Misfortune" on August 22, the "Old-Time Temple Fair, Folk Performance Troupe Showcase" on the afternoon of September 3 and the "Night Inspection and Secret Visit, Praying for Blessings and Peace" in the evening, as well as the "City God's Mighty Inspection, Procession to Relieve the Lonely Spirits" on September 5. The "Old-Time Temple Fair Picnic Party" held at 2 PM on September 3 at Beida Park is a first this year. It will combine an old-time temple fair with a picnic activity, and that day anyone dressed with "retro" or "spirit-and-ghost" elements can receive one of a limited 500 "Keep You Safe" phone ring holders. After the picnic ends, those who join the "Night Inspection and Secret Visit, Praying for Blessings and Peace" as part of the escort team at 6 PM can also receive an extra one of a limited 350 "Send You Hope" drawstring backpacks.