Tainan’s Orthodox Luermen Shengu Temple (正統鹿耳門聖母廟) decked out its Matsu statue in a new costume, with a litter and porter, for a rainmaking ritual at Nantou County’s Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) this weekend.
The statute of the goddess, affectionately known as Kaji Ma (開基媽), was shown sitting on a special woven rattan throne wearing a visored hat and robe on top of a covered rattan litter in a photograph.
Wang Ming-yi (王明義), head of the temple, on Thursday said that temple administrators were informed by the goddess via divination that a rainmaking ritual must be performed.
Photo: Hsieh Jieh-yu, Taipei Times, courtesy of the Lugu Township Office
Yesterday, a rainmaking ritual was held with the statue on the lakeshore, he said, adding that the statue is today scheduled to travel around the county’s Lugu Township (鹿谷) to bring rain.
Last year, the temple’s Matsu statue traveled around Taiwan in a 21-day blessing ritual to protect the nation against COVID-19, Wang said.
The COVID-19 outbreak did ease afterward with the help of the gods and the combined efforts of Taiwanese and the government, he said.
The procession around the township is an addition to the lakeside ritual made at the request of the town’s faithful, Lugu Mayor Chiu Ju-ping (邱如平) said.
Kaji Ma’s apparel and litter were designed to emphasize that she is an approachable goddess who loves the common people, he said.
Meanwhile, to the horror of Taiwan Power (Taipower) officials in charge of Sun Moon Lake’s hydroelectric dam, the lake’s exposed bed has become a hotspot for selfie-taking and geotagging.
The Dajhuhu (大竹湖) area of the lake is restricted for safety reasons, a Taipower spokesman said.
Some of the lakebed’s cracks, which are visually striking and draw many visitors, are deep and wide, and waterlogged enough for people to drown in, the spokesman said, adding that trespassers would be removed and charged.
Sun Moon Lake is used for irrigation and energy production and is a reservoir for household water, Daguan Power Plant (大觀發電廠) officials said.
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