About 1,000 worshippers and spectators gathered in the port town of Budai for a 200-year-old religious festival [1].
The event preserves a centuries-old tradition in Chiayi County, Taiwan, serving as a significant cultural touchstone for the local community and visiting pilgrims.
The festivities span three days [1]. A central feature of the celebration is a vibrant parade where participants march through waist-deep water [1]. This ritual walk is a defining characteristic of the event, drawing crowds to the coastal region of the port town.
Budai, located in Chiayi County, hosted the gathering as part of the ongoing observance of the religious tradition [1]. The scale of the event, involving approximately 1,000 people [1], underscores the enduring nature of the practice despite the passage of two centuries [1].
Local observers and participants joined the procession to honor the history of the festival. The event blends religious devotion with a public spectacle, maintaining a practice that has persisted for 200 years [1].
“Around 1,000 worshippers and spectators gathered in the port town of Budai”
The persistence of the Budai festival highlights the role of traditional religious rituals in maintaining community identity in Taiwan. By continuing a 200-year-old practice, the region preserves a tangible link to its ancestral and spiritual history through public, communal action.
