During the Lantern festival, there are various celebration ceremony activities in all villages on Matsu island, starting from the afternoon to the evening, streets and alleys are jammed with parades, adults, kids, and people returning home are all in the parades, participating the annual celebration ceremony of the rice glue ball temple fair, even the military that serve in Matsu will also come to join. The biggest activity of the rice glue ball celebration ceremony will be held in the biggest village on the island, for example in Bei Gan , the Shiou Wang Fu parade of the Tangci village is the greatest, anyone wants to participate is suggested to find out the detailed activity time first, in order to prevent missing the fascinating rice glue ball celebration ceremony! When the parade passing the door of each family, a long string of firecrackers is sparked immediately, the voice of firecrackers greatly and loudly gets about the whole village, the celebration ceremony activity continues till the night, and the voice of firecrackers will stop till late night, which shows the devotional attitude of people in Matsu.

Houao village Yang Gong Ba Shi Temple of Bei Gan

In local folklore, Yang Gong Ba Shi is a senile master to seize devils, once while fighting an evil dragon, he was drawn into the sea by the evil dragon, and later the villager of fertile village found his corpse and buried him. The villagers built a temple in memory of this master that this temple is to protect local fisherman. Differing from general temple, the dragon on the doorway of Yang Gong Ba Shi Temple is not an ascend dragon, it is imaginable this dragon on the doorway is connected with the legend of fight against the evil dragon

Making a tour of temples

Traditional houses in Matsu are mostly double layer, square shape, look like a signet, and therefore are called "a signettype" building.

Being opposite than a square and simple house , the traditional temple in Matsu is different from South Fukien temple. Temples in Matsu have simple structures and forms with only one door, and both sides of a window in left and right, not as gorgeous as temples in South Fukien.

There are numerous temples in Matsu, the appearances mostly adopts vivid color. The most eye-catching point is "preventing volcano wall", which is popular at Zhejiang, and the north of Fujian province its feature lies in wall that exaggerate of significant degree flections, so when fire occurs, the can obstruct spreading of fire. The deities enshrined locally are White Horse King, Five Soul Mans, General Chen, and Yang Gong Ba Shi,etc., they all have their related legend and literary references. The devolution of" White Horse King" is a saint -Wang Shen Hoe of Fujian province to know;"Five Soul Mans" of legendary, is said that five young men dreamed of the poisoning in a well of devil so that they sacrificed their lives to save people in Fuzhou, General Chen" was a person in the early Ching dynasty, named Chen Da Goe, to rescue people, he killed the county magistrate who always oppressed villagers, but he had misfortune and drowned while piloting ship to flee from home ……etc., each deity has a touching story, and the background of the story mostly takes place in person in Matsu's home town-Fukien. People in Matsu are very devouted, many people who leave Matsu to change residence in Taiwan, go to temple to pray, and they still follow traditional custom in Matsu which is to redeem a vow pledged toward the temple, the devotion of faith it is thus clear

The Bei Gan Bridge Ciaozai Village

It is located on the northeast side of Bei Gan country of Lian Jian Province, The village with most temples. Oblation for Five Soul Mans, White horse king, North Pole Shuen Sky Emperor Temple, Commander-in-chief Tian etc., inside the village, it is estimated having almost 100 deities, so this village is also called "temple village".

The Bridge Child used to be the most populated village at Bei Gan. However the populations moved because of various reasons such as industry transform. There fore in this village , deities are more than villagers, the rare phenomenon has be seen.

Nioujiao peak territory temple at Nioujiao village of Nan Gan

When arriving Nioujiao village, the most eye-catching spot is the Nioujiao peak territory temple, the temple in red,, particularly in the nighttime, under the illuminating of light, the deep red color appearance of the building is more attractive. Inside the temple, the deities are five soul mans, white horse king and general Chen. Outside the temple, there is also a white guarding horse statue.

Brighten Emperor Temple at Nan Gan Fuao Villiage

When arriving by ship to Fuao harbor at Nan Gan, people can see an impressive temple on the hillside, this temple is called "Brighten Emperor Temple ", which is rare to be seen in Matsu islands. The lord inside the temple are Goddess of Mo Niang, Lin, Brighten Emperor, Accompany Five Big Emperors, White Horse King etc.. Its joss stick is rather vigorous, and it is also the temple with the most goddess in Matsu. Every year when the "Brighten Emperor " pay to round the time that the territory makes imperial visit at Lantern festival, the villagers will hold a grand activity, while the whole villages were also full of the atmosphere of festival jollification.