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It’s the annual ceremony for the birthday of Lordly Magistrate of Heaven, which was held at Songboling Shoutian Temple in Mingjian Township, Nantou County, one of the major Taoism town in Taiwan. In the afternoon of the 15th, Chen Teng-Yueh, the chairman of Shoutian Temple, County Magistrate Lin Ming-Chen, Legislator Hsu Shu-Hua, Township Mayor Chen Wen-Te and others unveiled together the super-large rice cake (a total weight of 8,800 catty) covered by a red veil, and then piously burned incense and presented flowers, fruits, wines and spirit money to complete the ceremony. It is scheduled in the morning of the 16th to distribute rice cakes in small packages, and it is expected to see worshippers lining up for the grand event. Songboling Shoutian Temple Lantern Festival Grand Ceremony was simple and grand, with the participation of Lin Ju-Yang, a secretary of the county government, County Councilor Yu Hsiu-Ying, Chang Chia-Che, and Chen Han-Li, Mayor Sung Huai-Lin of Nantou City, Shoutian Temple committee members, and other personnel of the event. County Magistrate Lin said that he appreciates the blessings from Xuandi (Truly Valiant Great Emperor) of Shoutian Temple as he was successfully re-elected as legislator for two terms and as county magistrate for two terms because he prayed to Xuandi during the elections. Before retiring from office, Lin has overcome difficulties and acquired the land in accordance with the regulations, to build the 50-meter-high “Sky Star” observation tower on the base that is only separated from Shoutian Temple by a valley, in which NT$ 510 million has been invested. The construction of “Sky Star,” which includes a variety of features, observation platforms and shopping venues, is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year, which takes only 600 days to open to the public. Although Lin would be retired from office as county magistrate by that time, he is confident that the investment will draw 2 million tourists to Songboling Neighborhood, which will not only recoup the initial investment in two years, but will also double the number of worshippers while encouraging them to visit attractions nearby by combining Sky Star with religious characteristics of Shoutian Temple, so as to bolster the tourism industry in Songboling Neighborhood, Mingjian Township.