On the day of the event, participants gathered at the Minzu First Road entrance of Wenzao Ursuline University and began their route along the Minzu Bridge (Wenzao Bridge), passing landmarks such as Dingxin Bridge and Shihu Park. Guided by Lecturer Zhang Shouzhen, the group visited culturally and historically significant sites, including the Wenzao Heritage Square, Wenzao Gongjian Hall, and the Kaohsiung Dao De Institute. They also learned about the functions and impact of the Cao Gong Irrigation System and the “Xianzilin Reservoir.”

Ciji Temple

Did you know? Locals affectionately call this temple the "Old Ancestral Temple." It is located by the Lotus Pond in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City, and was built before 1719, making it over 300 years old! The temple is dedicated to Poh Seng Tai Tay, one of the key guardian deities for early Taiwanese settlers who crossed the sea to Taiwan. Back then, pioneers brought this deity from their hometown as a family god to pray for safety. Over time, the family deity evolved into a shared belief within the community.

In folk religion, Poh Seng Tai Tay is like an ancient version of a "family doctor." At Ciji Temple, you can always see devout worshippers praying for their family's health and well-being. Not only that, in addition to the help of modern medicine, Poh Seng Tai Tay provides people with spiritual comfort, helping patients face their illnesses bravely and even becoming a protector for doctors. The next time you visit Zuoying, make sure to stop by the Old Ancestral Temple and feel the power of this enduring faith!

The main deity of Fenggu Temple, Shennong, also known as Shennong the Great, is surrounded by legendary tales! According to folklore, Shennong the Great tasted countless herbs himself to identify those that were edible or medicinal. If he accidentally consumed a poisonous plant, his face would turn black; if the herb had healing properties, his face would turn red.

Interestingly, the temple's sculptors often incorporate these stories into the design of Shennong the Great’s statues, creating various vivid depictions of him. These lifelike designs not only bring the stories to life but also add a rich layer of cultural and historical meaning to Fenggu Temple!

For this event, we are honored to invite teacher Jiang Zhouhang to Wenzao. Mr. Jiang is not only a pastry chef but also a long-time local food education promoter and literary pastry writer. He weaves together pastries and literature, transforming them into more charming and unique literary works. He hopes to combine his expertise with local characteristics, allowing participants to not only recognize the natural ingredients nurtured by the land but also deeply feel the cultural cultivation of the land and people. Mr. Jiang shared many of his personal experiences with us, such as using the "Five Elements" in his hometown of Liougue, through pottery, woodworking, dyeing, cooking, and other means, to make full use of local elements, allowing children and adults to learn while doing and recognize the beauty of this land. For this event, Mr.Jiang also collaborated with Kaohsiung Cultural Association to come up with the highlight of the event - "Shinyō Wagashi ," using red bean paste and longan as fillings to create a pastry with a strong Japanese dessert flavor, allowing participants to feel novelty and surprise during the experience.

  In our first session, we collaborated with Kaohsiung Cultural Association and invited Manager Chen Zhenrong to deliver a presentation at Wenzao. To kick off the event, Manager Chen made a humorous entrance as a "Qing Dynasty officials," instantly capturing the audience's attention. Through his engaging lecture, participants were transported back in time to the old city a century ago, gaining a deeper understanding of its culture and historical context. Manager Chen provided a detailed introduction to the four main gates of Zuoying: the North Gate, South Gate, West Gate, and East Gate. While the West Gate no longer exists today, remnants of its structure remain for research and visitation. Additionally, Manager Chen explained the historical context of the Town’s construction. For example, due to the Zhu Yigui Rebellion in 1722, residents of old Zuoying built the first earthen wall to defend against invaders and protect their homeland. However, as the earthen wall was repeatedly breached and became unusable, the government and local residents raised funds to rebuild the wall with stone, resulting in the structure we see today.

The August lecture focused on Taiwan's folk beliefs, delving into the hierarchical structure and roles of deities. Mr. Wu began by distinguishing between deities and immortals: while shen represent higher divine authority and are often associated with celestial, imperial, or natural worship, xian emphasize individual cultivation and spiritual attainment. The key difference lies in the formal positions and duties assigned to deities. Mr. Wu also elaborated on the origins of deities in folk beliefs, stemming from sources such as nature worship, imperial systems, ancient sages, fictional stories, and ancestral spirits. By categorizing the different divine personas, he showcased the cultural richness and diversity embedded in Taiwan's belief systems, offering participants fresh perspectives and valuable insights.

Firstly, Manager. Chen Zhenrong, Manager of Kaohsiung Cultural Association, was invited to introduce the historical development of Fenyang wonton and explained the relationship between wonton and Xuantian Shangdi. In the history section, it was mentioned that there are many legends and versions about the identity of Xuantian Shangdi before he became an immortal. One of the most popular ones is that in the book "běi yóu jì" (Journey to the North), it is written that Xuantian Shangdi was originally a butcher who took out his own stomach and intestines in order to save his mother and remove his own karmic obstacles, and was then touched by the heavens and ascended to become a god of immortality. Mr. Chen's lively and entertaining "interpretation" of the story kept the participants engaged and interested in not only Zuoying, but also Taiwanese folk beliefs as a whole.