Gods Ensure Safety: County Government Integrates Creative Traffic Safety Campaign into City God Birthday Procession

On the 15th day of the sixth lunar month, marking the birthday of the City God, grand procession and blessing ceremonies were held in four townships of Nantou County: Nantou City, Caotun Township, Puli Township, and Zhushan Township. The county government seized this annual religious event to deeply integrate 'road traffic safety promotion' into local religious culture. Leveraging the image of the City God as a deity who manages the book of life and death and sees all, the county commissioned the Zhi Nan Temple in Nantou City, Hui De Temple in Caotun, Ying Hai City God Temple in Puli, and Ling De Temple in Zhushan to hang promotional banners on their procession vehicles and distribute 'safety amulets.' This initiative brought traffic safety messages directly into neighborhoods, praying for divine protection and intersection safety.

The county government explained that the City God holds a solemn image in folk belief as a deity who rewards good and punishes evil, safeguarding local peace. For this campaign, rigid traffic rules were transformed into friendly, memorable faith-based slogans. For pedestrians: 'When the little green man blinks, don't rush; if the countdown is short, stop and wait. Listen to the City God—wait one more cycle and return home safely.' This reminds people not to hurry when crossing roads. For drivers: 'Turn left early into the correct lane, wait for the green light before turning right. The City God is watching at the intersection—safe driving is beloved by the gods,' emphasizing turning safety.

To allow residents to carry safety blessings with them, the county specially produced 'safety amulets' printed with the message: 'The divine power of the City God sees all; vehicles must stop and yield to pedestrians, pedestrians must use crosswalks, and families will be protected by the gods.' These were distributed to participants along the procession route. The amulet not only symbolizes divine protection but also serves as a daily reminder for drivers and pedestrians to follow traffic rules.

The Nantou County Government stated that religious processions not only bring blessings to the community and strengthen local faith and enthusiasm but also present an excellent opportunity to showcase urban culture and order. They hope that through this integration of traffic safety promotion with the City God culture across the county's four townships, people can feel the grace of the divine while cultivating good road usage and driving habits, working together to build a safe and friendly livable city.