Taoyuan's Century-Old Daxi Daxi Festival Kicks Off! Vice Mayor Su Junbin Carries 40kg Deity Statue, Performs 'Qu Li' Ritual in Bid for National Heritage Status

Taoyuan City's annual cultural highlight, the 'Daxi Daxi' festival, took place today (6th), coinciding with the 1,867th birthday of Lord Guan (Guan Sheng Di Jun). A grand procession was held jointly by Daxi Puzhitang Temple and 32 local community groups. Taoyuan City Vice Mayor Su Junbin attended for the third consecutive year and made his debut by carrying the 40-kilogram statue of General Guan Ping, performing the traditional 'Qu Li' ritual with ceremonial steps.

Each of Daxi's community groups preserves its own unique history, performance troupes, and the distinctive 'Da Xian Xiang Zai' (giant puppet) culture. Despite the scorching afternoon heat, all 32 groups gathered to parade through the streets. Vice Mayor Su, accompanied by Zhang Shu-Wu, Chief Director of Jiatian Temple's Tongyi Hall, first carried the deity statue of General Qian Shun through the procession, visiting various altars along the route.

This year, Su took on the heavier 40+ kg statue of General Guan Ping, stepping forward in the traditional 'Qu Li' manner unique to Daxi. Su remarked that thanks to his previous two years of experience, he found it much easier this time and quickly regained his rhythm. His smooth movements earned praise from members of Jiatian Temple, who gave him thumbs up and said he had truly 'graduated' from training. He later joined the Daxi Tongren Society's palanquin team, helping carry Lord Guan's sacred palanquin through the streets.

The Daxi Puzhitang Temple's Lord Guan Birthday Celebration boasts over a century of history and was the first event in Taoyuan to be designated as a City-Level Important Folk Custom. This year, the city government is actively expanding the cultural influence of 'Daxi 624' and pushing for its elevation to national heritage status.

Through the long-preserved 'Da Xian Xiang Zai' figures and performance arts of the 32 community groups, combined with cross-sector marketing initiatives such as collaborations with the Rakuten Taoyuan Baseball Stadium, the 'Daxi 624' cultural brand has successfully expanded its reach. Cultural Heritage Committee members from Taiwan's Ministry of Culture also visited the site during the festival to assess the feasibility of designating it as a National Important Folk Custom.

Moving forward, the city will continue promoting the preservation and sustainable transmission of cultural assets, transforming this century-old celebration into an intergenerational tradition that showcases Daxi's profound spiritual heritage as a defining urban cultural charm.