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.
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