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๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ผ Taiwan /Culture & Society

Tainan Temple Holds Elaborate Ghost Festival Offering with Thousands of Tables

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Tainan's Guiren Renshou Palace hosted its annual Ghost Festival ceremony, presenting nearly a thousand tables of elaborate offerings.
  • The event featured traditional '72ๆฃง' delicacies and a special 'children's offering' section with toys and snacks.
  • Over 1,400 food items, including rice dumplings and buns, were prepared for spirits, alongside clothing and gambling tools.

Guiren Renshou Palace in Tainan, one of the historic temples outside the city's East Gate, held its annual Ghost Festival ceremony today, drawing significant attention for its elaborate offerings. The event featured nearly a thousand tables laden with food and other items, demonstrating a profound respect for the spirits.

Besides the third neighborhood, temples and devotees from abroad also participated together, with a dazzling array of offerings, fully organizing the event to show the greatest sincerity in appeasing the spirits.

โ€” Chen Ying-yuChairman of Renshou Palace, describing the participation and scale of the Ghost Festival offerings.

The ceremony adhered to tradition by preparing the '72ๆฃง' (72 stacks) of delicacies, a symbolic feast for the spirits. This year, the temple also included a special section known as 'ๅ›ไป”ๆ™ฎ' (children's offering), providing items typically enjoyed by children, such as toys, snacks, and drinks. This thoughtful inclusion ensures that even the youngest spirits are catered for during the festival.

Further demonstrating the scale of the preparations, the temple's '็ˆไธป' (offering master) organized over 1,400 rice dumplings, buns, and red turtle cakes. These were intended not just as offerings but as provisions for the spirits to carry on their journey. Additionally, nearly 300 portions of sweet and savory rice cakes were prepared, alongside traditional gambling tools and clothing, allowing the spirits to enjoy entertainment and new attire.

The temple followed tradition by preparing '72 stacks' of offerings, along with a series of gambling tools and some clothing and accessories, allowing spirits to change into new clothes, enjoy delicacies, and also entertain themselves.

โ€” Article textDescribing the traditional and entertainment elements included in the offerings for the spirits.

The event saw participation not only from the local community but also from overseas temples and devotees, all contributing to the grand scale of the ceremony. The comprehensive preparations underscore the deep sincerity and cultural significance attached to the Ghost Festival in Tainan, ensuring a respectful and abundant offering for the spirits.

Over 1,400 buns, steamed dumplings, rice dumplings, and red turtle cakes were prepared, convenient for the spirits to take on their journey.

โ€” Article textDetailing the quantity and purpose of specific food items prepared for the spirits.
About this summary

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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