Taipei’s famous Xiahai Temple staged a procession through Dadaocheng on Friday, June 6th, in preparation for the City God’s birthday. The annual festival began in the afternoon at the altar of the City God and continued into the evening, circling the neighborhood to purify it and stopping at principal shrines along the way to honor the deities and perform rituals.
The City God is an important official in the heavenly bureaucracy, whose position is equivalent to that of a district magistrate. He is charged with controlling the deceased and supervising for rain, among other divine duties. In addition, he is mandated to maintain peace, safety and prosperity in his respective jurisdiction.
The Xiahai City God Temple is located on Dihua Street in the historic district of Dadaocheng, which is one of the oldest areas of Taipei. The temple was founded by Fujianese merchants in 1856 in what was then a significant trading port. Since then, the area has become a vibrant and vital space for cultural and creative industries in tourism, tea and other sectors.
On Sunday, June 8th, Xiahai Temple will celebrate the City God’s birthday with ritual performances and other festivities. The event is one of the “three great temple festivals” celebrated in Taipei. The other two are organized by Dalongdong Baoan Temple in the Spring and Bangka Qingshan Temple towards the end of the year.