For Peace and Prosperity: Xiaoliuqiu's Welcome the Lords Festival

The King's Welcome and Peace Festival is an important annual festival held every three years in the Donggang and Xiaoliuqiu areas. It occupies a very important position in Taiwan's princely belief and festival culture. In 2010, it was approved by the Ministry of Culture of the Executive Yuan as a national important folk cultural asset. , it is a well-deserved affirmation and honor for the King Welcome activity that is committed to inheriting centuries-old traditional culture. The "Welcome the Lords Peace Festival" is held every three years. In order to welcome the arrival of Thousand-years for heavenly patrol for the spiritual realm, local residents mobilize almost all the people. The sacrificial rituals completely follow the ancient rituals. The noisy and bustling mikoshi and parade heads can be seen everywhere in the area. Especially for devout believers, the exquisitely carved and gorgeously painted king ship is more eye-catching. When you have the opportunity to travel to Donggang or Xiaoliuqiu during the King's Peace Ceremony, you may wish to deeply appreciate the local cultural enthusiasm.

Origin of the festival

The main purpose of the "Welcome to the King's Peace Festival" is to use the power of the Great Thousand-years and the gods to eliminate evil spirits, plagues, diseases and other unclean things in the place, and to protect believers in safety and health. In addition to showing the residents' reverence for the prince, it also condensed a sense of identity and fully demonstrated their strong sense of love for their hometown through the festival. The local people attach more importance to the King's Welcome Ceremony than the New Year and festivals. No matter how far away they are from home, or fishermen who go fishing, they will rush back to their hometown to participate in the grand event before welcoming the King. Those who have money will contribute, and those who have the strength will contribute their efforts and work together. Work together to organize the event to welcome the king. "Welcome the King" is intended to welcome the thousand-years Lord, who has a sworn relationship with Prince Wen, and who has been patrolling the sky on behalf of the Jade Emperor, to visit the local area in order to seek peace.

Ceremony Program

The procedures for the King's Welcoming Peace Ceremony at Donggang Donglong Temple, Xiaoliuqiu Sanlong Temple and Nanzhou Xizhou Daitianfu are roughly the same.

The main processes are roughly divided into thirteen major procedures: "Rotation of Corner Heads" （角頭職務輪任） and "Building the King's Ship" (造王船) , "seated in the Zhongjun Mansion" (中軍府安座), "entered the table" (進表), "set up Daitian Mansion" (設置代天府), "Asked for water - respectfully invite the king to come" (請水-恭請王駕), "Pass fire and be seated" (過火安座), "Patrol the territory" (出巡繞境), "Offering the king" (祀王), "Move boats around the territory" (遷船繞境) , "Take away the plague" (和瘟押煞), "Banquet the king" (宴王), "Send the king off - Burn the king's ship" (送王-燒王船). Among them, processes 1 to 5 are the preparatory work for welcoming the king, and processes 6 to 13 are the activities presented during the welcoming period.

Understanding "Wangye" and "Thousand-years"

In Taiwan, the terms "王爺" (Wangye) and "千歲" (Thousand-years) have ancient roots as respectful titles for nobility. In contemporary times, these titles hold a unique significance, referring to deities in folk religion. "Wangye" is an honorific term for gods officially recognized through royal appointment, while "Thousand-years" is an address from worshippers to revered deities. Typically used separately, like "某府王爺" (Wangye of a certain temple) or "某府千歲" (Thousand-years of a certain temple), these terms highlight the traditional and esteemed nature of the beings being addressed. This cultural nuance adds depth to the rich tapestry of traditions and beliefs in Taiwan.

3. Seating the Zhongjun Mansion (中軍府安座)

The Zhongjun Mansion can be said to be the pioneer of the Thousand-years Lord. The seat of the Zhongjun Mansion also represents that the divine world has entered the preparation stage for the Peace Festival. Two years before the Welcoming King Ceremony, it is the arrival of the Zhongjun Mansion, and the king ship can also be officially built. Before the king's ship sets off, he respectfully asks the Zhongjun Mansion to take a seat in order to supervise the construction of the king's ship. The time when Zhongjun Mansion was established was about one year before the Festival.

4. Enter the table (進表)

The most valuable thing about the Peace Ceremony in Donglong Temple is that it retains the rituals of the Qing Dynasty. Jinbiao is one of them. The time of Jinbiao is in the 6th lunar month of the Festival Year to welcome the king. The heavenly table is decorated in Donglong Temple. The Prime Minister and Prime Ministers at all levels, on behalf of the entire town, knelt down and submitted a petition, respectfully requesting the thousand-years Lord who lives in the Tianhe Temple to come and eliminate the epidemic in the local area.

5. Establish Daitianfu (設置代天府)

Dai Tian Xun Shou Thousand-years Lord was ordered to inspect, and the temporary residence he stayed in was called "Dai Tian Mansion". The layout of Dai Tian Mansion was about three days before the invitation to the king. It was set up in the main halls of Donglong Temple in Donggang and Sanlong Temple in Xiaoliuqiu. In the main hall, there are hanging "Daitian Xunshou" （代天巡狩）a thin veil made by silk, idlers and others are not allowed to enter, only relevant deacons can enter. (Nanzhou Xizhou Daitianfu also has a "Thousand-years Hall")

6. Ask for water - Invite the king to come (請水-恭請王駕)

Also known as "Qing shui" (請水), it is the official start of the Welcoming King Festival. Thousand-years lord is both leaving and coming by boat, so it is all held on the seaside. All the participating mikoshi, head of the array and other teams, Everyone gather at the seaside, and the corner head walk back and forth in the sea with a sign to sense the arrival of Thousand-years, and then reports the Thousand-years surname that arrives. Usually, only a few people know the surname of the Thousand-years, such as the prime minister. People know that if they are invited, they will blast firecrackers and beat gongs and drums to show their respect for the Wangye.

Shuaiqi (帥旗): The flag of Thousand-years

On the day of asking for water, after confirming Thousand-years surname, the flag will be filled in with Thousand-years’s surname immediately. The flag of "thousand-years lord pursuing the jade order to hunt on behalf of heaven" will always follow Thousand-years’s mikoshi. Finally, in the long procession around the area, as long as you see a flag standing behind the mikoshi, you can confirm that it is the great Thousand-years’ one.

Qun gang jiao (逡港腳)

Xiaoliuqiu’s unique ceremony happens during the festival. 50 fishing boats carrying mikoshi gather at Dafu (Daliao) fishing port and Baisha fishing port, and then go round the entire island, praying for the safety of all coasts and ports, and respectfully welcoming the 5 surnames of the thousand-years for patrolling. The scene was very spectacular. When the fishing boat carrying the mikoshi arrives at the corresponding village, it will stop for a moment to show respect.

Eat wherever ones visits (遊縣吃縣、遊府吃府)

During the king's journey around the border, every household in Xiaoliuqiu will prepare drinks and snacks for the mikoshi teams to take, so that the hard-working crews can quench their thirst and their hunger. However, they are not allowed to pack them to go. This is used to show respect for the great thousand-years. It is a unique tradition during the festival in Xiaoliuqiu.

Stopping the Wangye's mikoshi and complaining about injustice (攔轎喊冤)

During Wangye's detour, people would sometimes "stop the mikoshi and complain" on the way, and Thousand-years would stop by the roadside to "handle the case" on the spot.

8. Pass the fire and be seated (過火安座)

After inviting the king ceremony, the thousand-years will first go around the territory, and then enter the Daitian Mansion and have to "go pass the fire" before taking a seat. The ceremony is to pile wood in 5 directions and burn it to cleanse the king's mikoshi. Donglong Temple welcomes five thousand-year-olds. It is also called "Five King Fire". After the sacred fire is burned into charcoal, it is leveled with a long bamboo pole, sprinkle salt and rice, the Taoist priest performs a ceremony, praying to the gods to protect the safety of the overbearing mikoshi team and the believers. Then the mikoshi team carried each Thousand-years mikoshi and stepped over the pile of red-hot charcoal in order, and sent the Thousand-years to the Daitianfu to be seated. Some believers will hold their own idols through fire to absorb spiritual energy. In Donggang, people will pick up burned charcoal and put it home in rice or water tanks to soak in spiritual energy.

Loads the King's Ship (王船添載)

The purpose of "increased loading" is to ensure that the thousand-year-old Lord, who is on behalf of the heavens, has three meals a day on his way back to heaven to deliver his decrees. The people also hope that the local environment will be safe and that crew will have adequate food and clothing in the next three years. The items added include items for navigation, writing supplies, clothing, daily tools, cooking utensils, food and fruits, recreational supplies, daily necessities, toiletries, etc.

Preservation of Tradition: A Peculiar Prohibition

Amidst the jubilant atmosphere, a peculiar tradition lays down a rule that during the festival, no water activities are allowed. Superstition holds that the water, teeming with bad spirits during this time, poses a risk to one's life if ventured into. The community, steeped in cultural beliefs, observes this prohibition with great reverence, underscoring the deep-rooted connection between spirituality and the island's collective consciousness during the Boat Burning Festival.