Feb. 9 is Lunar New Year’s Eve and many of Taipei’s temples will be open all night, with festivities getting livelier as the night progresses. People can go along to pray, light lanterns and get red envelopes to seek peace and prosperity in the new year.
Longshan Temple is holding a lantern lighting ceremony at 9 p.m. and two main temple lanterns will be lit. The temple’s drum tower will open at midnight and the big drums and bells will be hit 108 times, the only time during the year that this happens.
Xingtian Temple will also conduct a 30-minute-long good luck prayer ceremony to usher in the New Year.
The Xiahai City God Temple will be holding its first ever New Year’s group prayer ceremony this year. At 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve participants will assemble in the temple’s front courtyard to pray to the Lord of Heaven and the City God. At the end of prayers red envelopes, each containing NT$100 (US$3.38), will be given to the first 500 in line.
Worshippers can join in a sutra recital at Bao-an Temple. At 11 p.m. the bell will be sounded to bring in the New Year and at midnight divination lots will be drawn for the four traditional professions—scholars, farmers, workers and merchants—so that everyone can see what the year ahead holds in store.
Songshan District’s Fengtian Temple will be hosting prayers to the Jade Emperor, as this is Taipei City’s only Lord of Heaven temple. Participants can go to the Tai Sui Hall on the second floor to seek out their zodiac sign and turn the corresponding zodiac plate as a way of “turning their fortunes around.”
Songshan District’s Tzu-Yu Temple closes its gates at 11:30 p.m., then reopens them at midnight so people can place incense in the censers for good luck. Tradition has it that the earlier one places the incense, the better luck one has during the year, so prepare for a crush! The temple will also be giving out New Year’s lucky bags.
