President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) attended the sacrificial ceremony of the 2023 Hakka Yimin Festival at the Baozong Temple in Hsinchu County on Monday.
In her remarks, Tsai said that the Yimin belief is an important part of Taiwan’s folk religion and expressed her gratitude to the organizers for their commitment to preserving the heritage of Hakka culture. She said in addition to the world’s first Hakka Expo held in Taoyuan, a special exhibition about Hakka culture is currently on display in the Presidential Office. She invites people at home and abroad to experience the Hakka culture and learn more about Taiwan.
The Hakka Yimin Festival is held annually to commemorate the courageous Hakka people who organized defensive groups to protect their homelands and communities from the invasion of rebels and thieves in 17th century Taiwan. The Baozon Temple was built to accommodate the spirits of those who died in those conflicts.