Festival Activity – Lantern Festival Bei-Man Feast
Most of the ancestors of Matsu are from Changle and Lianjiang. Because both sides across the strait were separated since 1949, people who live in Matsu earned a livelihood by fishing temporarily could not go home for Chinese New Year and Lantern Festival, they could only settle down in Matsu. But people emphasize Bei-Man Feast around Lantern Festival more than Chinese New Year. Bei-Man is the traditional practice of arranging a sumptuous overnight feast in a temple as symbol of saying thanks to the gods for their protection of the village. It is the biggest folk festival activity in Matsu, it is also an activity which joined by all ages and genders.
During Lantern Festival, each and every family hang lanterns along the street, in some villages people even string those lanterns together. At night time, the village becomes red because those big red lanterns surrounded by. "Lantern" is definitely the main part among whole Bei-Man Feast.
"Bei-Man Feast" drew by our member
Miss Liu, Bi-Yun, Principal of Banli Elementary School, one of the
authors of the Matsu Cultural Picture Books, is introducing
Matsu's unique religious ceremony—Bei-Man.
We're ready for gods' party!
Resource : Yamamoto Legion