Pas-ta'ai (Short Spirit Ceremony)

Long ago, the Saisiyat people lived near a group of short, dark-skinned people (Ta'ai) separated by a river. The Short People were skilled in agriculture and magic, teaching the Saisiyat how to farm. However, they were also lecherous and frequently harassed Saisiyat women. Unable to endure this any longer, the tribe set a trap, cutting a bridge over the river and drowning nearly all the Short People. Only two survived. The survivors cursed the Saisiyat, warning of crop failures and disasters, and taught them to hold a ceremony seeking forgiveness before departing forever. Since then, the Saisiyat have performed the Pas-ta'ai to calm the Short Spirits' anger.

The Pas-ta'ai differs fundamentally from blessing ceremonies — its core spirit is "atonement" and "reconciliation." There is no incense burning or deity worship; instead, participants communicate with the Short Spirits through song and dance. The entire ceremony is strictly divided into six phases: Informing the Spirits, Welcoming the Spirits, Entertaining the Spirits, Sending Off the Spirits, Mud Smearing, and River Purification. Participants must observe numerous taboos: no quarreling during the ceremony, no bringing weapons into the ritual ground, and clothing must primarily be white and red. Each Saisiyat clan has specific ceremonial duties — the Chu clan leads the rites, the Feng clan is responsible for ceremonial songs, the Chao clan manages the ceremonial flags. The hip bells are the most important ritual instruments, with each clan's bells bearing distinctive patterns passed down through generations, never to be replicated. The ceremonial song cycle exceeds fifteen songs, each with a fixed sequence and meaning, requiring an entire night to perform completely.

The Pas-ta'ai is held in mid-October of the lunar calendar (approximately November-December on the solar calendar), simultaneously at two ritual grounds: the Southern Group in Xiangtianhu, Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County, and the Northern Group in Daai, Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County. The minor ceremony spans four days and three nights, while the grand ceremony (every ten years) extends to six days and five nights with even greater scale. The first night is "Welcoming the Spirits," with all tribespeople lined up as the lead elder chants the welcoming song. The second and third nights are "Entertaining the Spirits," as participants dance in large circles throughout the night, hip bells chiming and songs echoing through the mountain valleys — spectacular and solemn. The final morning is "Sending Off the Spirits" — the most sorrowful moment — as the tribe sings farewell songs, watching the Short Spirits depart. Designated a National Important Folk Custom, the ceremony is open to outside observers but with strict viewing rules (no black clothing, no unauthorized photography), reminding visitors to respect the Saisiyat people's reverence for the Short Spirits.