President Chen Shui-bian attended the "re-illuminating" ceremony of Tainan's Grand Matzu Temple on February 17, wishing the country a prosperous and peaceful year.
Matzu is probably the most revered goddess worshipped in Taiwan's civil religion, and the Tainan Matzu was conferred upon the title "Great Queen of Heaven" by Emperor Kangshi of the Ching Dynasty. The Grand Matzu Temple in Tainan is the first Matzu temple officially built by the government. It is also one of the noblest centers for the Matzu religious belief and the country's first-class historic sites, said the president.
However, while Taiwan was undergoing a hardship two years ago, the Grand Matzu fell on the ground, appearing to suffer in the citizens' stead. The repair and renovation work started last January, and, through the collective efforts of a repair and renovation committee, academics and craftsmen, was just completed this month. Hence, together with Tainan Mayor Hsu Tain-tsair, the president attended the "re-illuminating" ceremony that symbolized the temple's re-opening to the public.
"Without the collective work, the Grand Matzu Temple wouldn't have been able to be re-illuminated," said the president. Associating the temple's repair work to the national construction, the president hoped to work with all citizens to fight for a brand-new year. "May we, the 23 million Taiwan citizens, all be blessed by Matzu," prayed the president with his deepest sincerity.