Taiwan's population distribution is characterized by dense in the west and sparse in the east, and the population of the whole island is mostly concentrated in the western plain. A *** Western Plain 17 counties and cities (Taipei, Kaohsiung, Keelung, Taichung, Hsinchu, Chiayi and Tainan, Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung 10 counties) covers an area of 65,438. The population accounts for 86. 1% of the total population of the island.
The central and eastern parts are mostly hills and mountains. The five counties (Nantou, Pingtung, Taitung, Hualien and Yilan) have an area of 17063 square kilometers, accounting for about 48% of the island's area, and the population only accounts for 13.9% of the island's population.
The vast majority of compatriots in Taiwan Province Province are Han Chinese. It accounts for about 98% of the province's population. Before 1946, about 80% of them originated from Fujian, among which Zhangzhou and Quanzhou were the most. About 20% of them are from Guangdong, with Mei (county) and Chao (state) being the most. So Minnan dialect is popular in the whole province. 1949 or so, all provinces have mainlanders going to Taiwan Province province. Ethnic minorities account for 2% of the population, about 400,000 people.
The aborigines in Taiwan Province Province are divided into Pingpu and Gaoshan. The Pingpu ethnic group is further divided into eight ethnic groups: Gezanan, Ketagalan, Dacas, Romuald Peiser Sea, Babapula, Babbusa, Hongya and Silaya. Distributed in the northern and western plains and coastal areas. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Han people in mainland China moved to Taiwan Province Province, mostly living in the western plain and the coastal plains in the east, north and south, and living together with Pingpu people. Pingpu nationality has been integrated with Han nationality, and its living culture is close to that of Han nationality. According to statistics, there are 62 1 19 Pingpu people in 1943, and there were about 19 people in the 1980s.
Due to the discrimination and oppression of the ruling classes in past dynasties, the economic and cultural development of compatriots of all ethnic groups in Taiwan Province Province has been hindered for a long time. Up to now, Gaoshan compatriots in some areas still live a life of farming and hunting. Gaoshan compatriots are hardworking, brave and good at singing and dancing. The "bracelet dance" with unique national style has sonorous syllables and is beautiful and moving.
Religious belief is quite common among residents in Taiwan Province Province, among which Buddhism and Taoism are the most followers, accounting for about 1/3 of the whole population. Catholicism and Christianity rank second, accounting for about 3% of the province's population. In addition, some residents believe in Islam, Tianjin, Xuanyuan, Datong and rationalism. In the folk, there are also activities organized by white lotus, salvation, one-way and vacuum religions. There are still some primitive religions in Gaoshan nationality. There are many kinds of churches and temples in the province, with an average of 1 seat every 4.5 square kilometers, which is nearly 1 times of the total number of various schools.
Mandarin is very popular in Taiwan Province province. It is not only the official language, but also the common language of society. However, "Fulao dialect" is widely used among the people, that is, Minnan dialect in Taiwan Province Province. Early mainland immigrants mainly came from southern Fujian, especially Zhangzhou and Quanzhou. After living together in Taiwan Province Province, Quanzhou dialect and Zhangzhou dialect gradually formed a Minnan dialect, namely Fulao dialect. It absorbs some words and grammar from Alpine and Japanese, so Fulao dialect is somewhat different from Minnan dialect in Fujian.
Hakka immigrants come from three regions in Guangdong Province, and there are three groups of Hakka dialects, namely "Four Counties" (Hakka dialects used in Xingning, Wuhua, Pingyuan and Jiaoling counties in old Jiaying Prefecture). "Raoping" (Hakka dialect used in Raoping area of old Chaozhou Prefecture).
Gaoshan people have their own language, but there is no national language. Some ethnic groups have similar basic vocabulary, but they are not connected with each other. Their language belongs to Austronesian family, also known as Indonesian family. Can be divided into three groups, namely
(1) Atayal language group: including Atayal and Cedric.
(2) Cao language group: including Cao language and Kanabu language.
(3) Paiwan language group: including Paiwan language, Rukai language, Penang language, Amish language, Bunun language, Xiasai language and Yamei language. The phonetic system of Gaoshan nationality has five vowels, I, U, E and O, and 20-23 consonants.
National Skills with Island Characteristics in Taiwan Province Province
(a) Nanguan Opera and Nanguan Music
In a broad sense, "Nanguan" refers to the music of China Southern Language Family. However, Nanguan Opera preserved in Taiwan Province Province today refers to Liyuan Opera, the oldest opera in Minnan language family. It is mainly popular in Quanzhou and Xiamen, and then spread to Taiwan Province Province and Nanyang, where there are many overseas Chinese in southern Fujian, with a history of nearly 500 years. The roles are divided into seven lines: life, Dan, net, end, ugliness, paste, and outer seven lines, so they are also called seven sub-classes, or seven colors and seven feet play. The actor played by adults is called Da Liyuan, and the actor played by children is called Xiao Liyuan. The basic tune is Nanguan Music, which is melodious and melodious. The name of the tune is mostly the same as that of Nanbei Music, so it is considered as the legacy of Nanpu Opera in the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The instruments used for accompaniment can be divided into three parts: string, wind and percussion.
Nanguan Music, also known as Five Tones, Nanyin Music, Xianguan Music and Lang Jun Music, can be divided into: (1) Finger-playing-a suite that can be sung, and the lyrics are accompanied by Pipa Finger-playing music. But now it is only for performance, not for singing, and there are 48 sets of divertimento. (2) Song-a song of Sanqu, with annotations from Nanguan Gongchi, with more than 1000 existing songs. Dong Xiao, Erxian, Sanxian and Pipa are used in the singing method, with the singer in the middle, and the festival (clapper) retains the legacy of "harmony songs" in the Han Dynasty. (3) Music score-instrumental recitation, 16 sets. The gameplay is considered to retain the legacy of "Daqu" in the Tang Dynasty.
(B) Beiguan Opera and Beiguan Music
Beiguan Opera and Beiguan Music refer to the operas of the northern language family in China, also known as "children's play" (named after the amateur operas of rural children) and "disorderly play" (from the "flower department" accent in Qianlong period). Its singing is basically "banqiang", and the lyrics are mostly seven-character or cross-sentence, but there are two schools of thought: "Fulu" (or Fulu) is an old school, retaining the bangzi system, and the main musical instrument is Kezixian (Coconut Hu). "Xipi" is a new genre, belonging to the Pi Huangqiang system, and its main musical instrument is Diao Gui (Jinghu).
(3) Mountain folk songs
From the perspective of folk musicology, the folk songs of the Shan nationality in Taiwan Province Province are a treasure house, which not only provides concrete examples in the history of human singing, but also develops amazing polyphony or harmony chorus skills.
(D) Fu Lao folk songs
Singing belongs to monophonic melody singing. Due to different regions, each has its own representative works, such as The Frog Makes the Chicken Gong in the western plain, The Lost Copper Boy in Lanyin Plain and The Rise of Thought in Hengchun area.
(E) Hakka folk songs
Refers to the folk songs of Han immigrants mainly from Guangdong and Jiaqing. Hakka residents are mostly distributed in the hilly areas of Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Kaohsiung Pingtung and other places, and generally use folk songs or tea-picking songs, which are better than Fulao tunes.
(6) Shadow Play
Shadow play was produced in Song Dynasty about 1000 years ago, and has been circulating in Taiwan Province Province for 200 years. It originated in Kaohsiung County and prevailed in the early Qing Dynasty, commonly known as "Shadow Monkey Play". The performance time is mostly at night, and the stage is about ten feet high. White cloth is hung at the front desk as a curtain, and the shadow play is projected on the curtain, and then it is illuminated. The leather statue is about a foot to a foot and a half high. They are made by kneading animal skins into translucent shapes, then carving human figures, coloring them, coating tung oil to increase transparency, and then smoothing them. The head portrait can be changed, shadow people is exquisitely crafted, and the portrait itself is a handicraft. The composition of the troupe is very capable, with a leading role, a supporting role and a singer, as well as about four musicians.
(7) Puppet show
Puppet show, also known as palm show, was also introduced from Fujian. Muppets dance with the leading role, and the stage is like a Buddhist shrine, which can be broken down and shipped easily. The traditional stage is about 5 feet high and about 1 foot deep, while the puppet is about 1 foot high and the viewing range is about 20 feet in front of the stage. Later, the reform was carried out, and the puppet show was three times larger than the traditional puppet show. According to legend, there are three schools of puppet shows: (1) Nanguan tune, which is taught by Quanzhou immigrants and emphasizes the elegance of literature and drama. (2) Northern management tone-Zhangzhou immigrants teach, emphasizing martial arts and magic. (3) Chaodiao, taught by Chaozhou immigrants, sings high and plays like Nanguan.
(8) suspension spring Puppet Show
It is said that hanging silk puppet show originated in the Western Han Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, its skills reached a peak, and its influence was extended by later generations to the plays staged by people on the stage. This has something to do with its posture. After this drama spread to Taiwan Province Province, it was divided into two schools (1). The northern school is centered on Yilan and rarely crosses the south of Hsinchu. The performance time is mostly the completion of temples, the opening of villages to worship the earth, the Pudu in July, or the worship of heaven after the disaster, thanking God. (2) The Southern School is centered on Tainan and rarely crosses the north of Chiayi. Performance time, except for the "heavenly birth" on the ninth day of the first lunar month and folk weddings or awards, is rarely for entertainment. This puppet is about one foot seven inches long. A complete troupe should be equipped with 72 heads and 36 bodies, representing 72 demons and 36 plough days, including all the spirits in the universe. There are four game boxes, two for puppets and two for musical instruments and tools. The empty boxes can be used as chairs. The "front desk" accounts for a quarter, which is the performance area, and the "backstage" is the work area. Performers are also divided into frontcourt and backcourt. There must be at least 2 to 3 people in the frontcourt who are responsible for moving and performing. Actors are family members. The most important ceremony is to preside over "exorcism"; The main task of the backcourt is music, with about 4 to 5 people, mostly non-family members. This kind of drama has many taboos and is full of mystery.
(9) Song Jiangzhen
Song was originally a martial arts performance group with gongs and drums. Later, due to the poor local security situation, many self-defense organizations appeared in towns and villages. The local gentry is the trainer of Tuosi, with 108 people, which is a metaphor for 36-day plows and 72 local demons. Now it has been reduced to a group of 36 people to perform at the God's meeting.
(10) Technology
There are many kinds of handicrafts in Taiwan Province Province. Their characteristics are: (1) practical, simple and beautiful. (2) Or the work of an unknown craftsman was not considered as a special knowledge at that time, but it was the product of rich experience and superb technology. (3) The shape is simple, but not monotonous. (4) Handicrafts, but the output of the same project is not small. (6) can reflect the natural environment and the background of the times.
Traditional important folk festivals
(1) Spring Festival
The first day of the first lunar month is the Spring Festival, commonly known as "Ryan", which is the first day of the year. Ancient legends used 12 animals to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Jiazi, and the opening ceremony was the beginning of the last year of marine life. At the beginning of the year, lay people displayed incense sticks, worshiped the heavens and the earth, worshipped their ancestors, opened the main entrance, commonly known as "opening the door of wealth", and set off firecrackers, which meant "New Year" again. The younger generation paid a new year call to their elders, commonly known as "New Year", and lay people distributed new year's goods. And bring candles and gifts to the temple to make incense, hoping for peace and happiness.
The eve of the Spring Festival is called New Year's Eve, and people attach great importance to it. Family reunion * * * enjoys food and wine, and has the habit of staying up late, which is called "keeping the old age". At the same time, there are customs such as posting Spring Festival couplets, drinking spring wine, welcoming the spring and receiving blessings.
2) Diwali
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival, commonly known as the "Lantern Festival". As the saying goes, "When you light a lamp on the thirteenth day, it is the fifteenth day." The first few days of the Lantern Festival are called "lighting", and the last day is called "Xie Deng", also known as "Three Lights". On this day, every family hangs lanterns, sets off fireworks, presents Yuanxiao fruits, sets up incense tables and worships the whole family. The Lantern Festival is held in the evening, and the dragon and lion dance together. It's really lively. Over the past 30 years, many places in Taiwan Province Province have held lantern exhibitions in temples, making lanterns and even electric lanterns, with vivid figures and particularly beautiful faces.
(3) Qingming
Tomb-Sweeping Day was called "cold food" in ancient times. Tomb-Sweeping Day originated in the Spring and Autumn Period (650 BC) to commemorate the death of Jin Wengong's hero Jiexiu. On that day, people missed their children and pushed them to death with the torch factor, so they couldn't bear to light a fire. They ate cold food for a month, and then gradually reduced it to three days. Up to now, after the winter solstice 105 days, the dry powder prepared in advance is cold food, which is called no fire, because the cold food day is designated as Tomb-Sweeping Day. The custom of sweeping graves at Qingming Festival has been circulating for a long time. 1927, the Nanjing Kuomintang government designated Tomb-Sweeping Day as the national grave-sweeping festival to commemorate the ancestor of the nation, Huangdi Xuanyuan.
(4) Dragon Boat Festival
The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the Dragon Boat Festival, commonly known as the "May Festival", also known as the "Poet's Day", which originated on May 5, 229 BC and evokes the soul of the great poet Qu Yuan. At noon, people offer zongzi wine to their ancestors, put wormwood and calamus in front of their doors, or boil water to bathe themselves, saying that it can ward off evil spirits and drive away the summer heat, and hold dragon boat races on the riverside. Elegant people hired boats to swim in the middle stream, read poems, drink wine and watch dragon boats, commonly known as "swimming in the river" to mourn Qu Yuan.
(5) Mid-Autumn Festival
August 15th of the lunar calendar is the Mid-Autumn Festival, commonly known as August Festival. Every household presents fruit moon cakes in the courtyard, commonly known as "Yue Bai". After the festival, the whole family shares moon cakes and enjoys the moon. The theatre also presents plays, such as "the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon". Elegant people get together, guessing fans, shooting tigers, talking about art, knocking on poems and drinking for fun, which is called the "Moon Appreciation Meeting". Friends, relatives and neighbors give each other moon cakes, which is called "farewell gift".
The Mid-Autumn Festival is called the autumn festival. It is called the Mid-Autumn Festival because it is in Sanqiu. The name of the Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Zhou Dynasty, and the Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Tang Dynasty, while eating cakes and enjoying the moon began in the Song Dynasty.
(6) Double Ninth Festival
The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the Double Ninth Festival, and there are ancient customs of eating cakes, drinking, climbing mountains and enjoying chrysanthemums. 1966, the Taiwan Province provincial authorities announced that September 9th of the lunar calendar is the "Old People's Day" every year.
Taiwan Province's local customs, clothing, food, housing and transportation.
Taiwan Province Province gradually developed from the large-scale migration of Fujian and Guangdong people in the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. Although the Japanese colonists tried their best to implement national assimilation, they met with stubborn resistance from their compatriots in Taiwan Province Province. After the Kuomintang moved to Taiwan, a large number of mainland people came to Taiwan Province Province, so many living habits and social customs of Han compatriots in Taiwan Province Province are basically the same as those in the mainland, and they generally maintain the characteristics of Fujian and Guangdong.
(1) Basic necessities of life
1, clothing. Men and women in rural areas used to wear Hanfu. Middle-aged and elderly women like long skirts or shorts; Old people like blue and black clothes or Xiangyun yarn; During the Japanese occupation, suits and ties began to spread to the countryside and have been quite popular for decades. Some urban women wear national costumes such as cheongsam. Nowadays, young people wear suits or Hong Kong shirts and trousers. Men and women in rural areas often wear hats or towels to keep out the wind.
2, diet. The residents of Taiwan Province Province live on rice for three meals a day. When celebrating festivals, guests usually enjoy rich dining tables, such as chickens and ducks. Taiwan Province residents are addicted to alcohol, offering sacrifices to gods and entertaining guests. Good wine is essential. At the turn of spring and summer, in autumn and winter, animal food is often stewed with traditional Chinese medicine to refresh the mind. Dishes are usually flavored with monosodium glutamate and sugar. Restaurants Restaurants operate in Sichuan, Guangdong, Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, Fujian and other places. At present, the living standard of Gaoshan compatriots is still low, and some still live on taro and sweet potatoes.
3. Live. Taiwan Province housing modeling can be roughly divided into three types: Chinese, Western and Japanese. Chinese style is bungalow, mostly in Minnan style, with Yi Long, pulley handle, Sanhe courtyard, quadrangle and so on. With the turbid water stream as the boundary, rural villages are scattered in the north and gathered in the south, and most of them are built in valleys near the water to avoid wind and sand. Western-style buildings are mostly buildings, which used to be brick. In recent years, most of them have been changed into reinforced concrete. Japanese style is to lay "tatami" on the bungalow. Most houses in the town are western-style. With the development of industry and commerce in recent years, the number of new apartments has increased rapidly, and there are also many high-rise buildings. However, due to the rapid population growth, the housing problem has not been fundamentally solved, and many people still live in simple shacks.
4. walk. At present, the most popular means of transportation in Taiwan Province Province are bicycles and motorcycles. In recent years, the number of cars, planes, ships and trains has increased, which is more convenient, and the number of private cars has also increased greatly. Taxis are common in towns. Quite a few buses are equipped with air conditioning. However, most rural areas are still inaccessible. Sailing boats and sampans are needed in places with many rivers, and there is no way out in mountainous areas, so we can only climb and trudge along mountain roads.
(2) Weddings, funerals and celebrations
1, get married. Once upon a time, there were many marriage rules in Taiwan Province Province, and people with the same surname did not get married. There are two kinds of marriage: large-scale marriage (legal marriage) and small-scale marriage (married or semi-married). Generally, it takes four stages: marriage negotiation, engagement, dismissal and wedding reception. The age of marriage is generally not more than 30 for men and 25 for women. At present, it has been changed from matchmaker introduction to free love, sedan chair for car, and court marriage. However, the extravagance and waste of weddings in Taiwan Province Province is very serious, which brings a heavy burden to many young people. In rural areas, some people are willing to get married collectively. The marriage of Gaoshan people is monogamous, and most of them are decided by their parents when they are young, so they often divorce after marriage.
2. Funeral. Funeral is similar to Chinese mainland's funeral. After the parents died, the children woke up that night, and the whole family mourned together, providing a bowl of rice, burning paper money and making shroud for the deceased. At the same time, tell relatives and friends, buy coffins, and then sacrifice. After the sacrifice, the child helped the body and died indoors. Breakfast was given to "filial piety rice", and they took turns crying. Then they chose a day for the funeral. The funeral procession is like a long queue, and relatives and friends are sent to the suburbs. Filial piety man bowed his thanks and said goodbye. Then truck the coffin to the cemetery for burial. Cremation is quite common at present. Some places in Taiwan Province Province have funeral parlours, crematoriums and cemeteries, and some Buddhist temples and pagodas also have ashes for storage.
3. Fertility. When a woman gives birth to a child, she must tell her relatives and friends. This is called "good news". At the full moon, red eggs will be distributed to relatives, friends and neighbors to show good luck. Pregnant women give birth to a full moon, which is called "confinement". Most of them take sesame oil pork liver as non-staple food within one month. Grandparents must give clothes and gifts to the baby when it is full moon, April and one year old. Taiwan Province Province has a serious preference for boys over girls. Male students hold grand ceremonies regardless of their first birthday, 16 years old, while female students greatly simplify or even do not hold ceremonies. Over the past 30 years, the authorities of Taiwan Province Province have been carrying out the "Family Birth Control Program" under the slogan "Two children are just right" and "Girls are as good as boys".
4. Shouqing. Taiwan Province compatriots like to celebrate birthdays. When men and women grow up, every birthday, their families will prepare vegetarian noodles and incense sticks and hold a simple celebration ceremony. The average life expectancy starts at 50 years old. 60 is the next birthday, 70 is the middle birthday, 80 is the last birthday, 90 is the old birthday, 100 is the future birthday. Every birthday, children and grandchildren celebrate and invite relatives and friends, which is quite grand.
(3) Gift taboos
1, it is forbidden to send towels to others. Once upon a time, undertaker, a folk in Taiwan Province Province, sent a towel to undertaker after the funeral, in order to make undertaker cut off contact with the deceased. Therefore, there is a saying in Taiwan Province Province that "one party is given a towel, and the other party is cut off". Therefore, in general, if you give someone a towel, it will inevitably remind people of unlucky funerals, severance and farewell.
2. It is forbidden to fan people. Fans are cheap and fragile, and are used to cool down in summer. When it's cold in late autumn, there is an "autumn fan", which means it's rude, so throw it away when you use it. There is a folk saying in Taiwan Province Province: "Send a fan and never see you again", which is based on this psychology. Young men and women in love show their fans that they are cold, indicating that they are not sincere. Therefore, never give fans as gifts.
3. It is forbidden to give people scissors. Scissors are a sharp weapon to hurt people, which means "make a clean break" and "make a clean break". Giving scissors can make people hostile. So, don't give it to others with scissors.
It is forbidden to give others an umbrella. In Taiwanese, "umbrella" and "scattered" are homophonic. Taiwan Province people's "rain" and "give" agree whether to send an umbrella to someone or to send it to someone else. The homonym of "umbrella" and "giving away" will inevitably lead to misunderstanding.
5. It is forbidden to give people away with a mirror. Because mirrors break easily, "broken mirrors are hard to round." And it seems that people are ugly, so people can look in the mirror and see what it means.
6. It is forbidden to punch in and give people away. Because "bell" and "end" are homophonic. Sending bells will make people think of "sending them out", which is easy to arouse the resentment of friends.
7. It is forbidden to give away sweet fruits. Sweet fruits, or rice cakes, are necessary for people in Taiwan Province Province to worship their ancestors in the New Year, but steaming food is forbidden during mourning. Therefore, if you give sweet fruit to someone, it will remind the recipient that there is a funeral at home. Nature is taboo.
8. It is forbidden to give people zongzi. In Taiwan Province Province, people lose their family's habit of neither steaming sweet fruits nor sending zongzi. If you send zongzi to others, it will be misunderstood as mourning for each other, so it is also taboo.
9. It is forbidden to give people ducks as "moon meat". "Moon meat" refers to the meat eaten by women who give birth within one month. The "moon meat" they eat is usually "hot" food such as sesame oil duck, pork loin and pork liver. Ducks are "cold" and not suitable for eating. Moreover, there are some proverbs in Taiwan Province Province, such as "A dead duck has a hard mouth" and "A duck in July and a half doesn't know when to die". If ducks are used as gifts, people will think of ominous signs.
Commemorative activities with the characteristics of Taiwan Province Province
As an immigrant society, the concept of ancestor worship and root-seeking is owned by Taiwan Province people, and it is also an important aspect of China culture. In Taiwan Province Province, every family has a memorial tablet for their ancestors, and every major event or festival, they should pay homage to their ancestors first. Genealogy and traditional ancestor worship ceremonies in Taiwan Province Province are still handed down from generation to generation.
In Taiwan Province Province, folk festivals are usually held at the age of 20, and the number is really amazing. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 15 kinds of festivals every month, and there are as many as 47 kinds in the first month of the lunar calendar. The ritual activities in Taiwan Province folk customs mainly include the birthday ceremony of Confucius and Mazu, ancestor worship ceremony in Upper Bai Jiao, Huang Cheng's tour, Purdue Festival and Zheng Chenggong Festival in mid-January.
(1) Confucius' birthday ceremony
Confucius, the most sacred teacher, occupies a very special position in the folk beliefs in Taiwan Province Province. The early ceremony of offering sacrifices to Confucius was held in spring and autumn, and later it was held on the anniversary of Confucius' birthday on September 28 of the lunar calendar every year, and this day was designated as Teacher's Day. There are twelve Confucius temples in Taiwan Province Province, the largest of which is the Confucius Temple in Taipei, which is located in the west of Taipei Yuanshan Zoo. On the day of Confucius' sacrificial ceremony, a grand ceremony will be held. Not only teachers and students of the school, but also government officials at all levels should participate to show respect for teachers and education.
(2) Mazu birthday ceremony
March 23rd of the lunar calendar is Mazu's birthday, and Mazu is a water god believed by residents in the southeast coastal areas of China. According to legend, Mazu often goes to and from the sea to help the poor, so people who sail believe her and call her nanny. In the thirty-third year of Emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynasty, a monk from Screaming Trees Bi came to Taiwan Province from Meizhou, Putian County, Fujian Province, and set up a small temple in Beigang to worship Mazu. Since then, Mazu has "settled down" in Taiwan Province. Because Taiwan Province Province is surrounded by the sea, mainland residents feel sheltered by Mazu when they immigrate to Taiwan Province Province, and many people in Taiwan Province Province take fishing as their occupation, so many people believe in Mazu. At present, there are 383 Mazu Tempel in Taiwan Province, among which the incense in the Chaotian Palace in Beigang is the most vigorous. March 23rd of the lunar calendar is Mazu's birthday every year. Since the first month, good men and women who believe in Mazu have flocked to Beigang Chaotian Palace from all over Taiwan Province to hold a grand pilgrimage for Mazu's birthday.
The whole ceremony was solemn, grand and lively. Pilgrims are full of piety, not far from Wan Li to make a pilgrimage. Sacrifices piled up like mountains, cigarettes filled the air, firecrackers were heard endlessly, and the drama of enjoying the gods was dizzying. The climax of pilgrimages is March 19 and 20 of the lunar calendar, when Mazu in Beigang traveled around the world. At 9 o'clock in the morning, people carried Mazu's holy land and began Mazu's annual grand celebration of traveling around the country amid deafening firecrackers. Mazu, escorted by General Clairvoyance and General Shun Fenger, traveled all over the streets and alleys of Beigang Town where God passed. Every household opened its doors, put up offerings and set off firecrackers to drive away evil spirits. Among the patrol teams, there are Lion Array, Songjiang Array, Drum Array and Eight Generals Array. Spread their heads and do their best. Various art exhibition halls rented by various commercial organizations and blocks are also marching in the streets. The antique, fashionable, static and various art exhibition halls are dazzling. The street in front of the temple is crowded with pilgrims and spectators.
Mazu celebrates his birthday every year and prays for peace every year. This ancient ritual activity has become an indispensable part of the life of people who go to sea in Taiwan Province Province. There are more than 300 temples dedicated to Mazu in Taiwan Province Province, and the shrine is welcomed to Taiwan by Fujian's "doppelganger". The main temples are Chaotian Palace and Magong Tianhou Palace in Beigang Town, Yunlin County. Ordinary families and shippers have tributes. There is a folk proverb in Taiwan Province Province, "Worship Mazu and cherish the motherland".
(3) ancestor worship ceremony in Bai Jiao.
Bai Jiao refers to Bai Jiao Township, Tongan County, Quanchuan District, Fujian Province. To go to Bai Jiao is to come to Bai Jiao, the mainland, and to follow Zheng Chenggong to recover the descendants of soldiers and civilians in Taiwan Province Province, and go all the way to visit the Jigong ancestral temple in Bai Jiao Township, Fujian Province to remember the ancestors of the mainland.
Every year on March 2 1 of the lunar calendar, Tzu Chi Palace in Xuejia Town, Tainan will hold a large-scale ancestor worship ceremony at Shangbaijiao. On the one hand, I miss my ancestors in the mainland; On the other hand, he visited the ancestral hall of Tzu Chi Palace in Bai Jiao Township, Tongan County, Fujian Province. This festival has lasted for more than 300 years since Zheng Chenggong came to Taiwan, which fully embodies the spirit of the Chinese nation's thinking about drinking water and not forgetting its roots. At this time of year, many pilgrims, monks and tourists gather in this small town, with more than 200,000 people. It's really busy. Especially when a grand ancestor worship ceremony was held on March 2 1 year in the lunar calendar, 65,438+10,000 people attended.
On the day of the festival, people who are studying or working abroad try their best to get back to the town, and welcome the statue of Baosheng the Great in Tzu Chi Palace to the landing place by the General's Creek, offering a remote sacrifice to the mainland homeland. Xue Jiaren regards this festival as an extremely important event, and followers of Emperor Baosheng from all over Taiwan Province also come to Xuejia Town to take part in the festival activities with sedan chairs and umbrellas.
Now, in order to tie in with this festival, preserve the folk skills of folk gods and attract tourists, the authorities of Taiwan Province Province have specially held a Taiwan-wide Art Array Competition, making this event even more grand and becoming one of the most striking and spectacular festivals in Taiwan Province.
(iv) Lord Wong Shing Tourism Festival
Sacrificing Huang Cheng is one of the traditional folk belief activities in China. Every year in the fifth lunar month 13, it is the birthday of Master Huang in Xiahai City, Taipei, and there is a grand tour of Master Huang, commonly known as Bye-bye on May 13th.
Huang, the mayor of Taipei, was the county magistrate of Danshuitang in Qing Dynasty. In the first year of Daoguang's reign, he was invited to Taiwan from Tongan, Fujian, with many followers and a particularly grand ceremony. When Lord Huang Cheng made a tour, he first held a ceremony to invite God, that is, invited Lord Huang Cheng and the gods to worship, placed them among the gods, and then set out. The first line of the tour includes North-South Wind Band, Lion Dance Team, Art Museum and believers, and hundreds of thousands of people visit it, which is superior to other festivals in Taiwan Province Province. So there is a proverb in Taiwan Province Province: "Look at people on May 13th".
People in Taiwan Province Province believe that worshipping the city god, like other folk beliefs, has a certain effect on stabilizing people's hearts, persuading people to do good deeds and promoting tourism, so this kind of folk activity of gathering and entertaining hundreds of thousands of people is still flourishing.
(5) Mid-Autumn Festival Purdue Festival
Lunar July 15, commonly known as "Mid-Autumn Festival", also known as "Orchid Festival" and "Ghost Festival", is a day for people to pay homage to their ancestors' souls and is also an extremely important festival for Taoist and Buddhist believers. In this big festival, every household in rural areas of Taiwan Province Province will kill pigs and sheep, prepare extremely rich wine and meat sacrifices, worship ancestors and ghosts in the underworld, and hope to "purdue" all sentient beings and the undead.
In Taiwan Province Province, the most common legend is that the gate of hell is opened in the early morning of June 5438 +0 of the lunar calendar every year, so that all ghosts suffering in the underworld can return to visit their hometown and future generations. On July 15, the deceased were unified, and a grand farewell ceremony was held for all ghosts to enjoy a feast. On July 30th, when the holiday was over, these ghosts returned to the underworld.
On this day, Purdue lit lanterns and hung them high to guide ghosts to gather in the dead. If you invite ghosts in the water, you have to "turn on the water lights." Water lanterns in Taiwan Province Province are usually pasted in the shape of huts, nailed to banana leaves and stems, and inserted with candles. In the past, the activities of water lanterns were very common in Taiwan Province Province, and the scale was also very grand. But now only Keelung, Hsinchu, Xinpu and Taoyuan have retained this custom, and its scale and momentum are even worse than before. In the past, every household slaughtered pigs and sheep, but now a large number of sacrificial ceremonies have been replaced by flowers and fruits. Today, only a few villages and towns can see a relatively complete sacrificial ceremony.
Villagers who still keep the Mid-Autumn Festival say that Purdue Festival will not disappear in their place. They believe that it is the tradition of China people to worship ghosts and gods first and ancestors first, and big worship can also give busy relatives and villagers a chance to get together. Therefore, Purdue in the Central Plains, with its unique folk custom of farmers in China, combined with religious activities of Buddhism and Taoism, still continues cigarette smoke and lantern worship in Taiwan Province Province.
In addition, compatriots in Taiwan Province Province have many traditional festivals that are basically the same as those in the mainland. Some festivals that are still popular today, such as Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, grave-sweeping in Tomb-Sweeping Day, Duanyang Dragon Boat Race, eating zongzi in Mid-Autumn Festival and eating moon cakes in Mid-Autumn Festival, have never stopped, and still maintain the traditional habits of the Chinese nation.