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Taiwan's 'Liu Fang Ma' Religious Event to Relocate Main Altar

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The "Liu Fang Ma" (Six Houses Mother) religious event in Yunlin, Taiwan, will move its main altar next year from Dou Nan to Dou Liu.
  • A groundbreaking ceremony for the new main altar in Da Bei Shi was held, attended by over a thousand devotees and local officials.
  • The Liu Fang Ma tradition involves the deity's statue rotating among five different communities, with the Da Bei Shi community hosting the event next year.

A significant religious event in Taiwan's Yunlin County, known as "Liu Fang Ma Guo Lu" (Six Houses Mother's Rotation), is preparing for a major relocation. Next year, the central altar for this important folk religious tradition will move from its current location in Wu Jian Cuo Gu, Dou Nan, to Da Bei Shi, Dou Liu.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new main altar in Da Bei Shi took place on December 9th, drawing a crowd of over a thousand devotees and notable local officials. Among the attendees were Chen Ji-min, Director of the Cultural Heritage Administration; Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-shan; and several legislators and county council members.

Liu Fang Ma's greatest characteristic is having a deity but no temple, with the five communities rotating annually in hosting.

โ€” Xu Wan-chengExplaining the unique nature of the Liu Fang Ma tradition.

The unique characteristic of Liu Fang Ma is that the deity has temples but no permanent residence, with the statue rotating annually among five communities: Dou Nan Gu, Tu Kou Gu, Wu Jian Cuo Gu, Da Bei Shi Gu, and Guo Xi Gu. This "Gu" system, comprising 34 villages, ensures a cyclical hosting of the deity's veneration, attracting over 100,000 followers each year for the rotation ceremony.

The Liu Fang Ma Guo Lu is a national important folk custom. In addition to its long history, it also demonstrates the strong vitality of Taiwanese local folk customs, which is its preciousness.

โ€” Chen Ji-minCommenting on the cultural significance of the event.

Xu Wan-cheng, chairman of the Chinese Liu Fang Ma Association, explained the rotation system, detailing how different villages within the Da Bei Shi community will share hosting duties based on a "core and foot" system. This arrangement, calculated over 20-year cycles, dictates the number of times each village hosts the "Lu Zhu" (incense burner master). This upcoming rotation marks the second time Da Bei Shi will host the event within a 40-year period.

Lin Jun-an, who will serve as the next year's Lu Zhu, shared his personal journey, having been chosen through a divine็ญŠ (divine lot) casting after dreaming of Liu Fang Ma. He noted that the land for the new altar was also chosen by the deity. Cultural Heritage Administration Director Chen Ji-min highlighted the event's importance as a national intangible cultural heritage, showcasing the vitality of Taiwanese folk traditions. County Magistrate Chang Li-shan added that the "Guo Lu" ceremony has national influence, fostering unity among believers across different villages.

The influence of Liu Fang Ma's 'Guo Lu' has already expanded nationwide, attracting numerous believers to follow and welcome the deity each year. This religious festival unites the centripetal force of believers from various villages.

โ€” Chang Li-shanHighlighting the event's broad appeal and community-building role.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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