Le Cheng Temple Distributes Blessed Red Threads and Candies on Qixi Festival After Yue Lao Statue Theft Scare

Le Cheng Temple in Taichung, Taiwan, celebrated the Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day, by offering blessed red threads and candies to devotees. Worshippers who successfully cast a sacred筊 (jiao) while praying for relationships received these items.

The temple's matchmaking deity, Yue Lao, is highly revered, attracting many single individuals seeking romantic fortune, especially during Qixi. This year's festivities were particularly notable due to a recent incident involving the theft of a smaller Yue Lao statue. Although the statue was recovered nearby, the larger, main Yue Lao statue suffered a broken finger during the event.

Following the incident, the broken finger was recovered and the main statue underwent repairs. The temple consulted the deity through divination, and it was decided that the statue would remain in the main hall until after the Qixi Festival before being returned to the Yue Lao shrine. This temporary relocation allowed worshippers to still pay their respects and seek blessings.

To celebrate the recovery of the smaller statue and the repair of the main one, the temple organized a special event on Qixi. Devotees followed specific procedures to pray in the main hall, and those who cast a sacred筊 were given blessed red threads and candies. This allowed attendees to greet the Mazu goddess and also make wishes to Yue Lao.