Fulfilling a promise she made to return after January’s presidential election, president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday visited Nan Yao Temple in Changhua County to take part in a departure ceremony for a statue of the goddess Matsu as it began a pilgrimage to Chiayi.
Tsai said she attended the ceremony to express her gratitude for the goddess’ blessing.
Among shouts of “hello, president” by thousands of people who crowded the more than 200-year-old temple, Tsai arrived early in the morning to take part in the ceremony, with the statute headed for Feng Tian Temple in Chiayi County’s Singang Township (新港).
Photo: Tang Shih-ming, Taipei Times
Presenting incense and other offerings to the goddess, Tsai, as well as Changhua County Commissioner Wei Ming-ku (魏明谷), Changhua Mayor Chiu Chien-fu (邱建富), who is also Nan Yao Temple chairman, and other dignitaries, moved the statue of Matsu onto a palanquin and carried it out of the temple.
“I am glad to be back at Nan Yao Temple today. I made a promise to Matsu last year when I visited Nan Yao Temple that I would return if I won the presidential election to give my thanks to the people as well as for Matsu’s blessing,” Tsai told the crowd. “I would like to ask Matsu for her continued blessing for a smooth governance of the nation, so that people may live better, that the nation may be prosperous and that Taiwan may progress.”
Tsai said the 10 Matsu support groups affiliated with Nan Yao Temple to help organize religious events that cover 450 communities in Changhua County, Taichung and Nantou County could serve as an inspiration for the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) idea of “regional governance.”
“Devotees of Nan Yao Temple have started ‘regional governance’ much earlier than the DPP. It all started 300 years ago,” Tsai said, adding that she is confident that regional governance would be successful in central Taiwan.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.
RSS