Chiayi temple stages over 1,000 shows for god’s birthday

Chiayi temple stages over 1,000 shows for god’s birthday

2026-06-17

Every year on the 23rd day of the fourth lunar month, Lord Yu Ciye Temple in Chiayi’s Lucao Township celebrates the deity’s birthday by hiring troupes to perform for the god. The number of stages has ballooned in recent years from the hundreds to over 1,000, resulting in a marathon of shows lasting over a month. The roads leading to the temple are packed on either side with temporary stages, transforming this sleepy town into a thrilling month-long spectacle.

The side of this road is lined with makeshift stages, extending into the distance until they finally reach the temple gates. Hundreds of puppet theater shows are to be staged here, along with traditional Taiwanese opera.

Every year around the 23rd day of the fourth lunar month, Lord Yu Ciye Temple in Chiayi’s Lucao Township celebrates the deity’s birthday by inviting hundreds of troupes to perform. Devotees from around the country hire performers to join this theatrical marathon that continues on day or night, rain or shine.

How many years have you participated?

Chang Chin-chung
Performer
Over 40 years. When a downpour hits, it’s not just the performers who get soaked, but the puppets too. The losses are significant.

I’ve seen a few dozen stages before, but never this many.

The festival has grown over the years from hundreds to over 1,000 troupes, resulting in over a month of nonstop performances. Many pious devotees will come for the festivities, including this man from Tainan who has brought his personal effigy to its home temple every year for over 30 years.

Mr. Ko
Devotee
I’ve come here every week for 38 years now. I sponsored a number of these stages.

Mr. Shih
Temple manager
There are over 1,000 stages this time. The shows started on the 23rd day of the fourth month and haven’t stopped since.

Unique in all of Taiwan, visitors are spellbound by the sheer scale of the festivities. This extraordinary display of local devotion has transformed this modest countryside temple into Taiwan’s grandest open-air theater.

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

#temple #templeculture #Chiayi #YuciyeTemple #puppetry #Taiwaneseopera #folkbeliefs #traditionalculture #theater #performance

上千戲棚排成龍! 余慈爺公廟聖誕信徒請來戲班還願

2026-06-17

嘉義縣鹿草鄉的余慈爺公廟，每年農曆4月23迎來聖誕千秋，都會有大批信徒批請來戲班還願，酬神戲棚從幾年前的數百棚，一路增加到今年高達上千棚，得馬拉松式連演一個多月才能演完。通往廟宇的道路兩旁都都是滿滿的戲棚，場面相當壯觀。

道路兩旁滿滿都是戲棚，放眼往去連綿不絕，一路延伸到廟口兩旁，場面壯觀。數百個布袋戲棚一字排開，還有歌仔戲都來共襄盛舉。

嘉義縣鹿草鄉余慈爺公廟，每逢農曆4月23號聖誕千秋前後，都會上演戲棚大集結的宗教奇景。來自全台各地的信眾請來戲班還願，馬拉松式日夜開演，即使遭逢大雨也不間斷。

-你來擺幾年了?

[[戲班人員張金鐘]]
“40多年。(大雨)不是人濕掉而已，布袋戲戲偶也都濕掉了，損失會比較多。”

[[NS]] (這段要翻)
-我有看過很多十幾二十棚的，但這不只很多喔。

酬神戲棚從幾年前的數百棚，一路增加到上千棚，得連演一個多月才能演完。也有來自台南30多年的虔誠信徒，每年都帶著家裡供奉的神明回娘家。

[[信徒柯先生]]
“我每個星期都來，來38年了。我請很多棚。”

[[余慈爺公廟管理人施先生]]
“算一算上千棚，從今年(農曆4月)23號開始演，到現在都還沒演完。”

全台獨一無二的"千棚戲海"，規模之大令人嘖嘖稱奇，不僅展現了地方信仰的凝聚力，也意外讓這座小廟，成了全台最大的露天劇院。

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