Held for more than 100 years in Taipei’s Wanhua District (萬華) and featuring up to 200 religious troupes from various temples, the Monga Offering Ceremony (艋舺大拜拜) will be rocking this year — literally.
To attract more young people to the festivities, which will be held all over the area to celebrate the birthday of Qingshan Temple’s (青山宮) patron deity, Qingshanwang (青山王; Green Mountain King), the organizers are kicking things off with a music festival tomorrow at a nearby park.
To say the Tshing Shan Fest’s (青山祭) lineup is eclectic is an understatement — eight-year-old oldies crooner Liu Hung-lin (柳宏霖) is followed by melodic death metal outfit Infernal Chaos, and heavy metal vocalist-turned-legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) is coming out of musical retirement to play a special set backed by grindcore mainstays Flesh Juicer (血肉果汁機). Even veteran entertainer He Yi-hang (賀一航) will join the party, while DJ Mykal (林哲儀) caps the evening.
Photo: Yeh Kuan-yu, Taipei Times
■ The Monga Offering Ceremony will feature “night patrols” (暗訪) tomorrow and Sunday beginning at 3pm to banish evil spirits, and the main processions will take place Monday all over Wanhua District.
■ Tshing Shan Fest is tomorrow from 1pm to 10pm at Heping Herbal Park (和平青山公園) at the intersection of Monga Blvd. (艋舺大道) and Xiyuan Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市西園路二段).
■ Both events are free. On the Net (Chinese): www.facebook.com/tshingsan
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