For those who don't want to while away the Chinese New Year watching facile TV shows and stuffing themselves on rich New Year's victuals, a series of religious and cultural activities will take place in front of the temple. When the clock strikes midnight, heralding the arrival of the first day of the New Year (Feb. 18), devotees will vie to place the first incense stick in the temple's brazier, an act which is believed to bring good luck for the coming year.
The sixth day of the year (Feb. 23) marks the birthday of Master Chingshui and a traditional ceremony is expected to draw tourists from around the country. The sacrificial pig will be paraded around the town and eventually offered to the deity. Amid the clamor of shouting and music, don't forget to pluck a hair from the pig's ear and eat a slice of the sacred pork, as this is also believed to bring wisdom and good fortune.
The Lantern Festival announces the formal end of the New Year festivities, which falls on March 4 this year, and will be celebrated with the magnificent display of lights and lanterns reminiscent of parades held in the town's heyday, and is likely to draw plenty of visitors.
Apart from the boisterous temple fairs, visitors can visit the nearby cultural sights including Li Mei-shu Memorial Gallery (李梅樹紀念館) housing the largest collection of Li's masterpieces and the Sansia Historical Memorial Museum (三峽鎮歷史博物館), a well-preserved colonial building that documents the town's history.
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