Onlookers unsettled as 100+ prostrate themselves on street

Onlookers unsettled as 100+ prostrate themselves on street

2026-04-06

A surprising and unsettling scene unfolded in Taoyuan during the Tomb Sweeping Festival on Sunday. A large group of people dressed in red took to the streets around the Arts District for a peaceful procession that quickly drew attention and raise eyebrows when participants suddenly stopped, knelt, and performed full-body prostrations on the sidewalk. The unusual display startled passersby and sparked heated discussion online, with some questioning whether it was a religious ritual or something more controversial. Organizers, however, say the event was a form of spiritual ritual to spread positive energy.

A large group of people wearing red walk side by side in twos with their hands clasped and praying as they move. But then…

The red-clad believers fall to their knees and prostrate themselves on the ground. The strange ritual shocked passersby, and video of their moves was uploaded online, receiving comments like, “What kind of cult ritual is this?”

Member of public
Commenting on rite
I don’t know. They weren’t doing any harm. No harm, but no good either. I don’t know what they were doing. It lasted about 15 minutes.

Member of public
Commenting on rite
It was very abrupt and strange. They shouldn’t do that in crowded areas. Maybe in the outskirts it would be better.

The peculiar parade was organized by the China Body Mind Spirit Capacity Association and started at 3 in the afternoon on Tomb Sweeping Festival, around the Taoyuan Arts Center. Members say it was a city-cleansing ritual, an event bringing together body, mind and spiritual practice to fill urban spaces with positive energy.

Cheng Chi-chi
Organizer
We applied for the relevant permits and coordinated the event with volunteers to direct traffic. The ritual is meant to connect our minds with the earth and thank the earth for all the plentiful resources it gives us.

The city cleansing brought together more than 100 participants and it is a practice that has even been recognized by Guinness World Records. Though participants say they aimed to spread positive energy, for some onlookers it was simply an unsettling sight.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#cult #parade #red #uniforms #taoyuan #performance

桃園藝文特區驚見紅衣人"集體拜跪" 網驚:邪教儀式?

2026-04-06

您見過嗎?桃園藝文特區，清明節出現這驚人一幕，一大群紅衣隊伍，集體上街祈願，但途中突然雙手合十，集體"大禮拜跪拜"，全身五體投地，趴在人行道上，這一幕嚇壞不少用路人，有人直呼是邪教?但也有人質疑是"中國暴走團來台灣了"，不過官方主打"心靈環保"，也有跟主辦方提前做申請。

一整排紅衣人，密密麻麻，兩兩並排走在人行道上，每個人雙手合十，邊走邊祈福，但沒想到下一秒..

行進到一半，這群紅衣人不只集體下跪，甚至整個人"五體投地"，如次罕見的大禮拜動作，嚇壞不少用路人，驚人場面被網友拍下，直呼"這是什麼邪教儀式?"

[[民眾]]
“不知道，沒有不好啦，沒有不好，也沒有很好，就是不知道他們在做什麼，很快啊，很快就結束了，大概15分鐘吧”

[[民眾]]
“很唐突，有的人看到，會覺得莫名其妙，可以避免盡量避免，你如果去郊區的什麼，都比較沒關係”

事實上，這是"佛母孔雀明王修行園區"在清明節當天下午3點，在桃園藝文特區舉辦的"洗沐城市活動"，標榜是結合身心靈修持的"行動藝術"，要將純善能量注入都市空間。

[[金氏大禮拜行腳協會理事長鄭琪淇]]
“我們有跟養工處申請，我們也有請義交，藉由這個動作，讓你的心跟大地互動，振動的同時，其實我們也在感恩這個大地的，很多的豐富的資源，灌溉著我們”

現場約100多人參與，而這個動作叫城市洗沐，還有得過金氏世界紀錄，希望能傳遞正能量"，但如此大陣仗的紅衣軍團在大街上集體跪拜，也意外引發話題。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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Hung Kuo-chin
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It’s the first time Chiikawa mascots are to come to Taiwan, and we’ll hold Taiwan’s first meet-and-greet for Chiikawa. In addition, we will hold the world’s first Chiikawa-themed drone show here in Taitung on April 11.

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The Taiwan International Balloon Festival officially kicks off on July 4th. With Doraemon, Hello Kitty, and now also Chiikawa balloons to enjoy, this summer, everyone’s eyes will be on the skies over Taitung.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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A school of small gray fish swim energetically in the river. They may seem ordinary, but these are Formosan landlocked salmon, an endangered species endemic to Taiwan.

Liao Lin-yen
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Formosan landlocked salmon begin hatching in November. They rise to the surface after about 90 days at around 10 degrees Celsius, so these fish look to be about two months old.

These treasured baby fish were seen in February. The Taiwan Salmon Eco Center said it has waited a long time for this moment, as the species was on the verge of extinction with a population of only 200 in the 1980s. Over the past 30 years, the Shei-Pa National Park has restored habitats and released fish fry, helping the population to recover.

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Member of the public
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I’ve never received this kind of fruit gift box before. When I attended weddings in the past, it was usually just a single fruit tower, so I feel the host is extremely sincere and generous.

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We use relatively sweeter and fresher seasonal fruits, packaged in a nine-compartment fruit box. It’s bold yet refined. It also is a way for guests to take any leftovers home.

In the past, some master chefs have presented lobster cold dishes in gift boxes, packed whole abalone and fruit jelly into pull-top cans, and even showcased rows of giant prawns. Southern banquet culture is bold and extravagant, with each event posing a new creative challenge.

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Relax with a typical Taiwanese massage and enjoy a fried chicken larger than the face. You might think you’re at a Taiwanese night market, but no, this is actually Tokyo Skytree Town.

This is the largest “Taiwan Matsuri” event ever held in Japan. To celebrate ten years of Taiwan’s night market experience up north, the organizer has teamed up with the Tainan City Government and brought the city’s famous hand-painted lanterns and various night market snacks all the way to Tokyo, more than 2,000km away.

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A Russian-born bus driver in Kaohsiung gets to experience Taiwan’s infamous traffic first-hand. This weekend, he was blocked by a passenger car that stopped for no reason in front of him at an intersection, just as he was about to head to the next stop. The driver even went as far as to approach him, seemingly attempting to intimidate him. His name in Mandarin is Lin Ya-li, and he’s been in Taiwan for seven years now, was not fazed. The passenger car driver knew he was in the wrong, and left duly when the bus driver suggested calling the police. Although he didn’t report the incident himself, the police say they’ll deal with the car driver accordingly. Let’s hear from the bus driver himself in our exclusive report.

In this video captured by a member of the public at an intersection, a gunmetal grey car is blocking a bus. The car driver steps out and approaches the bus driver, who’s on the driver’s seat on the bus’s left-hand side. Seemingly unhappy, he yells at the bus driver. It seems as though the two are in a traffic dispute.

The bus’s dashcam footage reveals how things came to be. The bus had just stopped at Jiangong Road when it was closely followed by the grey car. The driver wanted to overtake the bus from the right, but that was when the bus was about to depart and also switched towards the left lane.

The bus driver then rolled down the window and gestured a thumbs-up. The car driver slowed down just as it overtook the bus, but then he stopped and blocked the bus. That was when the car driver approached the bus driver.

- So you just won’t yield to the bus, is that correct?
- Why must you drive over to my side?
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- How about I call the police? Yes or no?

Only when the bus driver threatened to call the police did he drive off.

Tseng Chao-yuan
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In the footage, the passenger car stopped in the middle of the lane while driving, not due to an emergency. It’s a violation of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, subject to a fine of NT$6,000 to NT$36,000, an immediate ban on driving and a 6-month suspension of the vehicle’s license plate.

As for the bus driver, he’s a Russian-born permanent resident in Taiwan, known in Mandarin as Lin Ya-li. He’s been in Taiwan for seven years now. He used to be a truck driver, but switched to buses four months ago. This was the first time he’s caught in a traffic dispute. Fortunately, he quickly resolved the issue by remaining calm, but even before this incident, he’s already developed mixed feelings toward Taiwan’s road traffic, especially in the south.

- What do you think about Taiwan’s traffic?
- Hahaha…

Lin Ya-li
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You may have already turned on a turn signal, but drivers that just won’t yield to you may even double down and go faster. Scooters are on all sides of your bus. They’d completely encircle the bus. How am I supposed to drive? Every day I go home exhausted, not physically but mentally.

He also says that it’s a lot more difficult to obtain a driver’s license in Russia than in Taiwan, and traffic law enforcement is also stricter.

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It’s really strict in my country. It doesn’t matter what kind of vehicle you’re driving. If you cross the double white lines, even just by the tiniest bit, you’ll have your license suspended for six months.

Coming from a country with stricter traffic rules, it’s no wonder passengers are satisfied with his careful and smooth driving.

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