"Come and see the show!" On the afternoon of the god's birthday, at the beckoning of Ah O next door, sister disappears and goes off to the foot of the performers' marquee to watch the performers, their faces smeared with rouges and purples, cigarettes hanging from their mouths, oblivious to the chickens and geese being slaughtered in the kitchen. Everyone is rushed off their feet.
Uncles and brothers came back in a steady stream from their work and studies yesterday evening. Even Mrs. Lin, who has not been seen for so long, came with a cousin. Dad and the other men have all gone off to carry the god's palanquin and add to the excitement of the immortals.
It is hard to say just how many people there were around the full table that evening. Tomorrow it will be good to go to Ah O's to see whose house is the more exciting.
A prayer movement for all the people: In the past, this was how temple festivals expressed people's requests and respects to the gods and brought together the people of a village. Everyone was happy, had a rest, then started out all over again. Temple festivals are not just the preserve of religion, but a part of human life the world over.
The amount and scale of temple festivals today and the number of believers taking part is very unlike what happened during the "modern scientism" of the 1960s and '70s, when people expected there to be no trace of them in the metropolis and hardly anything in the countryside. On the contrary, pilgrimages, foundation services, festivals and religious activities to ward off disasters have all been encouraged by officials and public alike, so that there is now a flourishing in both cities and villages. Scholars of folk customs say this proves that, apart from politics, it is probably only religion that can stir up such displays of enthusiasm in Taiwan.
According to a survey by the statistics department of the Ministry of the Interior, the temples for which records are kept held a total of more than 5,000 activities in the twelve months between May 1990 to April 1991--an average of more than 40 a day. The number of better known recent examples is further proof of this unexpected fact.
Thousands of divine boats and millions of firecrackers: April 25 (the 23rd day of the third lunar month) was Matsu's birthday. In Tainan county, film stars sang and performed on a stage erected in front of the Temple of the Heavenly Mother in Tucheng. This was the tail end of a string of continuous festivals that started with the new year Lantern Festival. During these activities the record was made when no less than 456 coaches of pilgrims arrived in one day.
At the same time, the Matsu procession held by Peikang's Chao Tien Temple saw waves of people arrive while the sound of firecrackers reached the heavens. The total amount spent on fireworks by followers of the procession has been calculated at NT$20 million.
In Kaohsiung county's Chiating, real materials were used to build a massive wang chuan boat for which devotees also purchased a real television, refrigerator and great quantities of rice, salt and gold fabric. It has been estimated that they spent a total of more than NT$5 million. On April28, in a procession of more than 10,000 devotees and 100 performing troupes, the boat was burnt to ashes at sea.
What is it that has made temple festivals increase in number and change their nature like this?
Wealth, prosperity and Mammon: Chu Hai-yuan, a researcher in the ethnology institute of the Academia Sinica, says that temple festivals are basically supported by two pillars: one is their strength of local attraction, the other is thanking the gods for their beneficence--a kind of "exchange relationship" between human beings and the divine. These have both changed with society, and naturally the appearance of temple festivals has followed this change.
An example is Taipei's Tzu Yu Temple, which only had one service in 30 years. Within the last 30 years the population and wealth of this place changed immensely. The temple was lifted up by this prosperity and its ceremonies are now flourishing.
Although the process of passing from an agricultural to an industrial society has presented people with numerous problems, it has also brought advantages and increased the opportunities to make a fortune. The "exchange relationship" between people and gods has exaggerated the wealth of the temple festivals even further--if the demands made of the gods are met, the rewards are naturally large. One gambler who won a lottery built a new home for the god of the Wan Shan Temple in Chiayi county's Tanta village; more than 20 electric organ trucks were invited to the founding ceremony. This is not a minority example.
Upgrading temples and mobilizing festivals: In today's competitive society, the temples have also kept pace with entrepreneurial management. Management committees and boards of directors are made up of successful lay members; the fame of a temple and the size of its congregation are the main ingredients for its future success. "Under their management, the aim is to expand the temple; small temples want to upgrade to big temples, and big temples to super temples. Temple ceremonies thus become a way of raising your fame," says Chu Hai-yuan.
As the saying goes, "When people are rich, the temple flourishes." The holding of grand festivals, combined with the power of media coverage, can actually attract believers from all quarters to come to local temples, enabling them to upgrade and become large national temples. The Temple of the Heavenly Mother in Tucheng is an example.
In 1975, under the slogan "establish the biggest temple in Southeast Asia," the Temple of the Heavenly Mother made itself the subject of much attention. It sent an advance corps of 21 people to pay their respects throughout Taiwan so as to establish good relations between gods and temples, be they large or small. The Temple of the Heavenly Mother relied on these other temples to bring devotees on pilgrimages, lay foundations and come up with the initial budget for building the temple. From a situation of not having a single pilgrim, the temple now receives more than 10,000 coach loads every year.
Prayers linked with sightseeing: "People today! They will go wherever there is something interesting. If you are going to have activities, then they better be big. If you don't spend a million, then it's a kids picnic and pilgrims will not come," says Chen Hsun-fa, deputy committee manager at the Temple of the Heavenly Mother, with a dignified air.
With folk religions usually being directed at a variety of deities, devotees often go to worship at the more famous temples and there is no fixed degree of loyalty between followers and gods. This kind of worship is thus connected with tourism, and people come from all directions to see the excitement.
In Nankunshen, a housewife on a coach of pilgrims from Lukang shouts out excitedly: "Today, apart from Nankunshen, we went to Chao Tien Temple, Feng Tien Temple, Lukang's Tien Hou Temple, Matou's Tai Tien Mansion, Tai Tzu Temple, Tucheng's Temple of the Heavenly Mother . . . what a collection of great temples!"
It is not surprising that the 21st Century Foundation's report on Taiwan's leisure culture, released this March, said that the most widespread leisure activities are worshipping the Buddha, going to karaoke and outings. The fastest growing tourist spots are Fokuang mountain and Chih Nan Temple.
Many temples rack their brains to think of ways to attract merrymaking pilgrims. As well as on gods' birthdays and other such religious ceremonies, they hold festive ceremonies at times such as the Lantern and Spring festivals. The activities are most unusual and nothing is excluded.
Matsu celebrating with the stars? The most common sight is that of a gathering of singers and dancers being relayed on television screens, which seems to have become a new "folk custom."
On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, a quarter-page newspaper advertisement advertised a star-studded performance with a long list of celebrities followed by: "On the fifteenth, there will be a million dollars of ritual regalia, a pile of fireworks that you will be lucky to see once in a lifetime, and a cascade of smoke and fire. We specially invite the devotees of the entire nation to join the celebrations."
One temple has a singing and dancing party, another will have karaoke. There will also be a bicycle race, model airplanes, remote-controlled car display, orchids and ornamental stones, and a display of national products.
The competition is in both entertainment and culture. Apart from the excitement this brings, it cannot but leave people a little dubious about whether or not temple festivals have changed their nature.
Scholars think it is inevitable that new forms of entertainment will enter into temple festivals. "In a pluralistic society, traditional entertainments cannot account for the entirety of temple festivals," says Chiu Kun-liang, associate professor of drama at the National Institute for the Arts.
But will too much entertainment and sightseeing enrich the form of temple festivals while leaving their substance essentially vulgar and profane?
Entertaining people but not respecting the gods: So it would seem, when the entertainment consists of low-level comedy songs and dances, or broadcasts where all that is seen is a gathering of stars and not the character of the festival or the local customs. Inviting a few strippers to stir up some excitement used to be condemned by people, but even that is now seen as stripping for the gods. "In fact, it's ridiculous!" is how Chen Sheng-fu sees it, having grown up with the Ming Hua kotsai drama troupe, of which he is now the leader. "Now temple festivals can really spend money, and they do so very extravagantly--although it does not have much to do with respecting the gods," he regrets.
With activities taking on such a form, the traditional performing troupes have changed too. Such has been the case with the Eight Generals, who clear the road for the gods. Previously, as soon as they put on their makeup, they took on a divine nature and were forbidden to speak or eat; the present-day generals, however, pay little regard to such taboos, openly smoking and chewing bettle nuts while wearing their makeup. "Temple festivals originally had the aim of joining respect for the gods with entertainment for people. If you just fix your eyes on the worldly entertainments, then you have already lost the religious function of lifting the human spirit," says Huang Mei-ying, a research student at the anthropological institute of Chinghua University.
Misunderstanding sightseeing: The function of temple festivals will develop. Did not the ancients also include picnics in their temple festivals!
However, today's so-called "tourism" is but a boastful expression, concerned with how much money is spent, how big the festival is, and how much variety it has. "All the energy is spent on appearances," remonstrates Chiu Kun-liang, who ran a community theatre ten years ago. When he looks at today's vacuous festivals, he feels that the days of scholars protecting and giving encouragement are past, and that now they should critically examine the substance of folk temple ceremonies.
Such things as Yenshui's fireworks have historical characteristics, in this case being used originally to ward off the plague. But some temples just look at the crowds bringing money to buy fireworks, let off thousands of dollars worth of firecrackers, and create pure entertainment that has lost any real significance.
At the end of last August, a Taipei temple drew much attention by holding the capital's first wang-chuan boat ceremony for the "royal tour of the San Wang Mansion." This magnificent temple festival, however, has already reached the limits for small craft imposed by the harbor police and must comply with them before it is allowed to go out to sea. When some of the missing obligatory religious ceremonies were left out, people were suspicions that the whole thing was just about tourism.
Creating new vitality: In fact, innovation in accordance with an area's local customs and background can enhance the vitality of temple festivals and enliven feelings between the community and the public. Recently there have been many such examples.
Toucheng's chiang-ku ceremony for catching lonely ghosts was suspended for forty-three years and only revived last year. It is a charitable ritual that must take place before the closing of the spectral gate every seventh lunar month. Because Toucheng was the first place to be cultivated on the Lanyang plain, it has seen much blood and conflict, and thus has many lonely ghosts. Against such a historical background, a renewed and magnificent festival can lead people to ponder deeply over the past.
Penghu's Tien Hou Temple, which has the longest history of all Taiwan's temples, held a three-day sea procession this year which involved 63 vessels. This was to mark the temple's 400th anniversary and was a good example of innovation by a temple. Tien Hou Temple was originally Penghu's religious center, and the name "Makung" originated from the Chinese pronunciation of "Matsu Temple." The temple was commandeered for a time to be used as a prison, which put a stop to religious activities for 20 years. Although it has an ancient title, it was hard for the temple to make a comeback, and annual donations did not pass the NT$600,000 mark.
Five years ago, after Makung district's Nanchia Hai Ling Temple took on the management of Tien Hou, it had to think about how to renew Tien Hou's festivals and attract pilgrims so as to revitalize religious observance there.
"At that time, somebody advised us that the people of Penghu all live from the sea. Moreover, Penghu has a lot of offshore islands, so travel by sea is as natural as it is by land. We thus decided to hold a seaborne procession," says Hsiang Mao-sung, deputy manager of the Tien Hou committee.
The final outcome was not bad. Hsiang Mao-sung recalls that during the first year's sea procession, the residents of all the islands came to give offerings when they heard of the tour. It was extremely moving. In the most reverent harbors they passed through, the residents knelt down and did not rise up for a long time. And since Matsu visited these villages, the Tien Hou temple has established relationships with all their temples.
Now Tien Hou Temple's incense money can reach NT$1.7 million in a year, while the sea procession can bring in donations from the public of NT$1 million. Donations, as well as representing healthy finances, also reveal that Tien Hou's status as a place of worship on Penghu is gradually being revived.
Easy to get donations--hard to make recruits: Temple festivals are getting bigger and bigger. Pilgrims come from all quarters, but the preservation of the temples' other important function--"bringing the community together"--is being doubted by scholars.
In the past, when it was being discussed how much money to ask the population for and what performers to invite, the villagers would be closely involved and busily expectant. The festival came as a time of climax and release. But as for people today, "more and more give money, but when you want people it is harder and harder," points out Lin Mei-jung, a researcher at Academia Sinica's institute of ethnology.
This is especially so with the range of devotees expanding from local to national. The change of the great temples to being run by small groups of managers is also weakening local participation in the process of planning temple festivals.
A small number of temple authorities are paying attention to this problem and have begun to design some special activities that will maintain or attract local people to participate in their festivals.
An example is Peikang's annual Matsu birthday, half of the costs of which are paid by the temple, and the other half by the local community and trade guilds. Everyone is encouraged to put forward performing columns for the procession, and Peikang's special tradition of yi-ko flower chariots is being preserved.
Nankunshen's Tai Tien Mansion, leader of the numerous wang-yeh temples, holds competitions with a local flavor, inviting mothers in the community to give performances of local dances, and bringing together local writers and artists to compile publications. These are all ways of mobilizing and bringing solidarity to the people of the community.
Hsinkang's Cultural Education Foundation is currently working with local residents to clean the streets of the large amount of debris left by pilgrims. Normally students clutching textbooks and young women working as accountants for stockbrokers roll up their sleeves and take part in this local temple festival. The foundation's chief director, Chen Chin-huang, calls this, "another way to thank the gods."
Local culture festivals: Although the expansion of some temple festivals might have led them to steadily lose their original substance, scholars of folk customs still have high hopes for their function as preservers of folk culture. They even think that there could be a development of local culture festivals.
"This is because, apart from temple festivals, most communities do not have any other activities that can attract mass participation," says Lin Mei-jung. With today's pursuit of individual achievement and modern society's overlooking of community relationships, the strength of temple festivals should really be developed.
This is even more so when living in an industrial society, in which festivals belonging to one's own locale could alleviate some of the coldness and alienation of urban life, and bring back some of the feelings for the land that we have lost.
No matter whether temple festivals are sensational, their activities innovative, or how much folk custom and culture they preserve, the ultimate test is whether or not they preserve their religious substance. "If religious activities do not lift people's spirits but just provide entertainment, in the long run they will only have a negative influence," says Chu Hai-yuan. Chiu Kun-liang agrees, adding, "If religious activities do not have a religious function then they are counterproductive."
Softening the heart: Ilan writer Li Tung recalls how moved he was on the day he took part in Tucheng's chiang-ku activities: "In a scene that brings together people, ghosts and gods, you get a feeling of how insignificant you are. With everyone sharing the same fate, whenever a person failed to get to the top of the ceremonial pole up which people try to climb, the sighs of the crowd seemed to signal concern for his safety. Although all were strangers to each other, it seemed that everyone was pulling together. I believe that this kind of temple festival can soften the barriers of modern society and its hardheartedness."
Chen Pan, a member of the Yu Theatre troupe, took a camera and notebook to do a fieldwork survey into worship at the Pai Sha Tun Matsu. Rather surprised at the simplicity and tranquility of the process, he put away his equipment and serenely began to take part.
Chen trod a long road and broke two toenails. He would examine himself in the day, and at night face himself again. It was only after this that he began to understand the respect involved in following the road of Matsu.
When Chen arrived at Tachia, he could not hold back his tears, and exclaimed: "I believe! it is not a matter of superstition, but a feeling for the gods and the attainment of strength."
[Picture Caption]
(Left) An incense stick and kneeling in reverence; Penghu's young and old alike express their highest respects towards the Matsu sea procession. (photo by Pu Hua-chih)
This Matsu effigy returning from the mainland is being put on board a plane at Taipei's Sungshan airport and is headed for the Penghu pilgrimage. (photo by Pu Hua-chih)
A troupe of performers competing at the Nankunshen festival. Temple festivals are the most natural space in which to preserve folk customs. (photo by Pu Hua-chih)
A medium communicates with the gods while devotees thank them for their kindness. (photo by Pu Hua-chih)
The best time to observe the relationships between temples and between people is during temple ceremonies. (photo by Huang Li-li)
With rising wages people are ever more generous with donations of heavenly money. (photo by Cheng Yuan-ching)
This temple in Tainan county's Hsishan village was built with donations from villagers who have gone to live elsewhere. (photo by Huang Li-li)
Temple ceremonies usually attract the attention of foreign tourists. (photo by Cheng Yuan-ching)
Dancing groups have beaten traditional entertainments and attract large numbers of "praying tourists." (photo Huang Li-li)
Sensational electric organ trucks have already lost sight of the significance of thanking the gods. (photo by Cheng Yuan-ching)
Suspended for 43 years, the Toucheng chiang-ku ceremony attracts massive crowds. With the stress being on tourism how such temple festivals can preserve their autonomy is a matter for caution. (photo by Yang Wen-ching)
Temple festivals also have business exhibitions. Their leisure functions increase daily and their contents become ever more varied. (photo by Huang Li-li)
(Above) Worshipping is one of the most widespread leisure activities of people today. (photo by Cheng Yuan-ching)
(Below) Mental purification and tranquility are the real objects of temple festivals. (photo by Cheng Yuan-ching)
Under the manifestation of wealth and bustle can the inner significance of temple festivals really be raised? (photo by Pu Hua-chih)
This Matsu effigy returning from the mainland is being put on board a plane at Taipei's Sungshan airport and is headed for the Penghu pilgrimage. （photo by Pu Hua-chih）
A troupe of performers competing at the Nankunshen festival. Temple festivals are the most natural space in which to preserve folk customs. （photo by Pu Hua-chih）
A medium communicates with the gods while devotees thank them for their kindness. （photo by Pu Hua-chih）
The best time to observe the relationships between temples and between people is during temple ceremonies. （photo by Huang Li-li）
With rising wages people are ever more generous with donations of heavenly money. （photo by Cheng Yuan-ching）
This temple in Tainan county's Hsishan village was built with donations from villagers who have gone to live elsewhere. （photo by Huang Li-li）
Temple ceremonies usually attract the attention of foreign tourists. （photo by Cheng Yuan-ching）
Dancing groups have beaten traditional entertainments and attract large numbers of "praying tourists." （photo Huang Li-li）
Sensational electric organ trucks have already lost sight of the significance of thanking the gods. （photo by Cheng Yuan-ching）
Costume: Originally wearing Ching dynasty military uniform, Pao Ma Tzu's colorful and beautiful costume is designed and made by devotees in Penghu. The patchwork clothing, rouged face, and sometimes the addition of a big nose, express the hardship of his bumpy road.
Position: The most welcome role in the temple ceremony is that of Pao Ma Tzu, who was originally an army scout. The evening before the gods set out on their inspection tour he receives his flag of commission and guards the temple gate all night. Early in the morning on the day of the procession he inspects the streets and alleys and tells people the gods are approaching.
Equipment: Pao Ma Tzu carries pig trotters on an umbrella, wine goblets, a basket of cakes and a bag of coins to scatter among the devotees and bring them a long and peaceful life and good fortune.（photos by Pu Hua-chih）
Suspended for 43 years, the Toucheng chiang-ku ceremony attracts massive crowds. With the stress being on tourism how such temple festivals can preserve their autonomy is a matter for caution. （photo by Yang Wen-ching）
Temple festivals also have business exhibitions. Their leisure functions increase daily and their contents become ever more varied. （photo by Huang Li-li）
（Above） Worshipping is one of the most widespread leisure activities of people today. （photo by Cheng Yuan-ching）
（Below） Mental purification and tranquility are the real objects of temple festivals. （photo by Cheng Yuan-ching）
@List.jpg?w=522&h=410&mode=crop&format=webp&quality=80)
@List.jpg?w=522&h=410&mode=crop&format=webp&quality=80)