【Answer to Win Gift】The Xia-hai City God Cultural Festival: Pray for Meeting the Right Person

The Xia-hai City God Cultural Festival: Pray for Meeting the Right Person

The Xia-hai City God Cultural Festival is an exclusive religious event in Dadaocheng, Taipei. The festival was originated from the Qing Dynasty. Within the City God Temple resides the City God--a deity believed to have emerged from the natural spirits linked to "city walls" and "moats." However, beginning in 1971, the City God Temple in Xia-hai started to worship the Matchmaker Deity, becoming renowned and efficacious for matchmaking ever since. Today, visitors also come to the City God temple to pray for meeting the right person in their lives. Some married couples visit to buy a pair of fortune shoes so that they may receive the deity’s blessings and pray for a happy and harmonious family. The festival attracts numerous attendees from various places, all seeking good fortune and successful marriages.

Taipei City government holds the Xia-hai City God Cultural Festival annually from April 25^th to May 25^th in the Lunar calendar. This event aims to facilitate a better understanding of Taiwanese culture through exhibitions, puppet troupes, performances, and lectures. A notable proverb, "people look at people on May 13th" (五月十三人看人), describes the grand procession of the City God. The significance of the event in preserving local heritage can be aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, "Sustainable Cities and Communities."

Reference: 霞海城隍廟、2024台北霞海城隍文化節、臺北旅遊網

霞海城隍文化節：祈禱遇見對的人

霞海城隍文化祭是台北大稻埕獨有的宗教活動。城隍文化節起源於清朝。城隍廟內供奉的是城隍神，相傳城隍神是由「城牆」與「護城河」的自然神靈所產生。然而，自 1971 年起，霞海城隍廟開始供奉媒婆神，自此成為頗負盛名的媒婆神。如今，遊客也會到城隍廟祈求遇到生命中的真命天子。有些已婚夫婦會到此購買一雙福鞋，以求得到神明的庇佑，祈求家庭幸福和諧。每年的夏祭都吸引許多來自各地的遊客，大家都是為了尋求好的運氣和成功的婚姻。

台北市政府於每年農曆四月廿五日至五月廿五日舉辦霞海城隍文化節。這項活動旨在透過展覽、布袋戲團、表演和講座，讓民眾更了解台灣文化。有句諺語「五月十三人看人」(people look at people on May 13th) 形容城隍大帝的盛大遊行。該活動在保護當地遺產方面的意義可與可持續發展目標 (SDG) 11「可持續發展的城市與社區」相結合。

List of Vocabulary - Learn New Words:

1. Xia-hai City God temple (n.) 霞海城隍廟

2. Matchmaker Deity (n.) 月老

3. Lunar calendar (n.) 農曆

4. Puppet troupe (n. ) 布袋戲團

#SDGs #the Xia-hai City God Cultural Festival #Local Taiwanese Event

Answer to win gift:

Q: Have you ever participated in a temple event? Please provide details. If not, what would you like to do if you visit it?

Please share your insights with at least 50 words. Please do not copy words from the paragraphs.

答題贏大禮:

問：您曾經參加過寺廟活動嗎？請提供詳細資料。如果沒有，如果參觀，您想做什麼？

Please submit your answer to the google form https://reurl.cc/gGWxnQ

Please submit your answer by the end of May.

The top three students who provide appropriate answers will receive a gift.

The result will be announced next month on the college website of Wenzao.  

The gifts for the non-Wenzaorians will be sent to your college and will be notified by email.

請在五月底之前提交您的答案。

提供適當答案的前三名學生將獲贈禮品一份。

結果將於下月在文藻學院網站上公佈。 

非文藻學生的禮品將會寄到您的學院，並會以電子郵件通知。