Chiayi City is preparing to welcome Ghost Month tomorrow, marking the start of the seventh lunar month. The City God Temple, a designated national historic site, will hold its traditional “opening of the ghost gate” ceremony at midnight tonight (the 29th day of the sixth lunar month) to usher in the Ghost Festival. For the first time, the temple will broadcast the event live, allowing both local and overseas viewers to witness the centuries-old ritual.
Temple chairman Lai Yongchuan explained that the festivities began on the 27th day of the sixth lunar month, featuring customs such as raising lantern poles, releasing water lanterns, and performing purification rites. The highlight is the midnight ceremony, symbolizing the opening of the gates between the worlds of the living and the dead, allowing wandering spirits to receive offerings and blessings.
The rituals are led by Taoist Master Zhang Zepi, a 64th-generation descendant of the revered Master Zhang Tianshi, and closely follow ancient Taoist traditions. These ceremonies are not only spiritually significant but also considered an essential part of Chiayi’s intangible cultural heritage.
Tonight at 8:30 p.m., the temple will conduct its renowned “purification of the furnace” rite, a practice over a century old. Three symbolic fires will be lit, representing protection, cleansing, and righteousness. Worshippers can take part by stepping over the flames and a vinegar-filled bowl, believed to ward off negative energies. The temple has also prepared 200 limited “City God Peace Soaps” for participants as a token of blessing and safety.
On the festival day, a spectacular array of themed offerings will be unveiled, including the “City Gates of Zhuluo,” built from 7,500 NT$2,000 bills worth NT$15 million, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. Other elaborate displays, such as “Fruit and Meat Mountain,” “Good Wine Needs No Alley,” and “Fish Praising the Ghost Festival,” blend Chiayi’s cultural charm with religious reverence.
The temple emphasizes that the Zhongyuan Festival is not only a time to honor ancestors but also a way to foster community ties and promote cultural tourism. Evening visitors can look forward to limited-edition food offerings, including jarred chicken, rice dumplings, and dough figurines, while a communal feast featuring dragon dandelion and grouper dishes is planned for August 25.
By combining faith, heritage, and tourism, the City God Temple’s Ghost Festival continues to be a hallmark of Chiayi’s cultural identity, inviting worshippers and tourists alike to experience the richness of this centuries-old tradition.
