Detailed Introduction
The Jiao Festival (Jian Jiao) is the largest and most solemn community religious ceremony in Taiwanese folk religion. Also known as 'doing the Jiao' or 'striking the Jiao,' these events are held only once every three, five, twelve, or even several dozen years. During the festival period, all residents within the designated area observe strict vegetarian fasting, and altars are erected to pray for peace — a powerful tradition that unites entire communities.
**What is a Jiao Festival?**
The character Jiao originally meant 'a sacrifice to heavenly deities.' A Jiao Festival is a major Daoist liturgical ceremony organized by local temples and presided over by Daoist priest troupes. Its core purposes are to give thanks for divine protection, pray for community-wide peace, and provide salvation for wandering souls. A complete Jiao typically lasts three to seven days (called a 'Three-Morning Jiao,' 'Five-Morning Jiao,' or 'Seven-Morning Jiao'), with longer ceremonies indicating greater scale and requiring more extensive resources.
**Types of Jiao Festivals**
● Qing'an Jiao (Peace Prayer Jiao): The most common type, focused on praying for community peace and safety.
● Qingcheng Jiao (Celebration Jiao): Held when a temple is newly built or renovated, combining celebration with prayers for peace.
● Wen Jiao (Plague Expulsion Jiao): Performed to drive out pestilence, originating from ancient plague-sending rituals.
● Shui Jiao (Water Jiao): Held in areas prone to water accidents, praying for safety on waterways.
● Huo Jiao (Fire Jiao): Conducted to pray for protection from fire disasters.
**Fasting and Taboos**
During the Jiao Festival, the entire designated area enforces strict vegetarian fasting — all residents and businesses must eat vegetarian food, with no killing of animals and no consumption of meat permitted. Markets stop selling fish and meat, restaurants switch to vegetarian menus, and even nearby convenience stores remove meat products from their shelves. This strictness astonishes outsiders but is considered a natural expression of devotion by locals. Weddings, moving house, and other activities that 'disturb the earth' are also prohibited within the area, maintaining a solemn atmosphere.
**Altars and Rituals**
Multiple temporary altar platforms are erected during the Jiao: the 'Heavenly Altar' for worshipping the Three Pure Ones and the Jade Emperor represents the highest tier; the 'Earth Altar' is set on the ground for providing salvation to departed souls; and the 'Water Altar' is placed near waterways to guide water spirits. Daoist priests in elaborate ritual vestments perform ceremonies day and night — morning audiences with heaven, noon offerings, the release of water lanterns at night to guide departed souls, universal feeding of hungry ghosts, and the final thanksgiving ceremony. The entire process follows a rigorous ritual sequence, with the priests' chanting, ritual footwork, and ceremonial instruments weaving together into solemn yet magnificent religious music.
**Famous Jiao Festivals**
Taiwan's most renowned Jiao Festivals include: the Keelung Ghost Festival (held annually as Taiwan's largest Zhongyuan celebration), the Tainan Yanshui Grand Jiao, the Changhua Lugang Tianhou Temple Jiao, and the Yunlin Beigang Chaotian Temple Jiao. The Keelung Ghost Festival, which combines clan-rotation hosting, parade floats, and water lantern releases, has been designated a nationally important folk custom. In late 2024, the Taipei Dalongdong Baoan Temple held a 'Three-Morning Celebration Thanksgiving Peace Jiao' — a major event not seen in over thirty years, with the entire district observing vegetarian fasting and tens of thousands participating.
**Community Solidarity**
The most precious aspect of a Jiao Festival is the collective mobilization of the community. From the preparation stage onward, residents divide responsibilities — some build altars, others cook vegetarian banquets, some serve as patrol guards maintaining order, and others handle fundraising. The 'Thanksgiving Banquet' (also called the 'Peace Banquet') after the ceremony is a grand community reunion, with hundreds of tables of vegetarian feast food prepared by professional outdoor banquet chefs, embodying the deepest bonds of community fellowship and identity.