News

    Every February 22 is the January 16 of the Lunar Calendar known as the Lantern Festival. The Songboling Shotien Temple in Mingjian Township held an event for millions of people to come and eat the rice cake made in the shape of a longevity peach at the Lantern Festival in Mingjian Township. County Mayor Ming-Chen Lin and Shotien Temple Management Committee Chair Chin-Chih Hsieh led the local representatives and the followers, all of whom constitute about 200 people, to carry the rice cake made in the shape of a longevity peach on their shoulders and walk along the path for about 1 kilometer. Afterwards, they displayed the largest national rice cake made in the shape of a longevity peach that weighs 11,988 TKG in front of the temple, attracting the followers who came and waited in line to share the rice cake.

    County Mayor Lin said the Shotien Temple is the national religious center of Taoism. Emperor Xuantian has been worshiped for a very long time with the worshipers’ fund-raising and donations. It was supported by people from all walks of life and the follower’s pious belief in the god, who can protect this county to live in peace. With the collaboration between the co-hosts Tao Ling and Song Ling Tea Fight Association, the Shotien Temple regained a record breaking achievement on the weight of the rice cake made in the shape of a longevity peach, which is an important religious cultural event of this county. In addition to today’s event to carry the rice cake in the shape of a longevity peach, on the day of the 23rd , there will be 30-thousand portions of rice cakes made in the shape of a longevity peach to be distributed. We welcome our friends in Taiwan to come and join the event.

    The rice cakes made in the shape of a longevity peach event held at Shotien Temple has reached its 19th year this 2016. From the early 400 or 500 TKG until this year’s weight at 11,988 TKG, there are roughly around 200 followers granted by Emperor Xuantian after throwing moon blocks divination (also called “jiao”) and receiving a positive feedback. The followers would work out a fund-raising and the Fengyuan Mi-Ji Rice Food Paradise in Taichung City would be in charge of making the recipe and cooking the super-giant rice cake made in the shape of a longevity pear through many collaborations. This once-and-for-all giant rice cake made in the shape of a longevity pear attracts plenty of followers and tourists to come and take a look at it and wait for the ceremony to display the peach.

    On that day, County Mayor Lin, Committee Chair Hsieh, County Councilors Hsiu-Ying Hsu, Mei-Ling Lo, and County Government Civil Affairs Dept. Director Yen-Ling Wu and others started from the Greetings Gate at the Shoutien Temple and led 200 followers to carry the rice cake made in the shape of a longevity peach and headed towards the main hall of the Shoutien Temple. On their way, the holy carriage of the Duke of the Imperial Lord led the parade to move on which was welcomed by the general public along the street. County Mayor Lin and others also shook hands to greet the people. The event was bustling with crowds with a spectacular parade following afterwards.

    In the ceremony to display the giant peach, legislator Shu-Hua Hsu, Mingjian Township Mayor Wen-Te Chen, County Councilors Han-Li Chen, Chen-Yen Tseng, and others all arrived on-site. County Mayor Lin led all the guests to run the unveiling ceremony of this rice cake made in the shape of a longevity cake that weighs 11,988 TKS, and gave blessings to everyone to have a good fortune in the New Year. Afterwards, County Mayor Lin led all the followers to pray for Emperor Xuantian altogether through incense offerings in the hope that the good weather may bring the harvest and people can live in peace and the nation will boom and become prosperous. He also distributed some small rice cakes made in the shape of a longevity peach to all followers after the opening ceremony of offering incense. The place is bustling with crowds.