TAINAN, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 24 November 2023 - Organized by the Southwest Coast National Scenic Area Headquarters, cyclists from all over the world were invited to serve as salt guardian riders this year to experience the grandest salt festival in Taiwan. More than 30,000 people attended the two-day event including tourists from Japan, Australia, and the US.

More than NTD500,000 for grabs were offered at the 20th anniversary of the Salt for Peace Festival Divination Block Challenge. A special prize of NTD168,888 was won by Pan, a 20-year-old student from the Anping District in Tainan with ten divine answers.

There is a long history of the Salt for Peace Festival. In 1662, a Wangye - Koxinga introduced the technique of solar salt, not only establishing the unprecedented salt industry but also becoming the hub of economic activities for the coastal dwellers. With more than 200 years of history, Jingzaijiao Tile-paved Salt Fields is a living architectural cultural heritage, and a promised land recreating the salt industry in Taiwan. The same year on the same land, with the five Wangyes, they landed on Kunshen Swatow on a roy boat, decided to establish the temple at this location, and worked together to bless people from generation to generation. Nankunshen Temple is the main temple of the Wangyes in Taiwan, dedicated to worshiping the five Wangyes: Lords Li, Chih, Wu, Jhu, Fan, and Wanshan Ye.

Salt has possessed the functions of warding off evil spirits and praying for good fortune since ancient times. Connected with the Wangye culture, the two stories together created an extremely significant festival - Kunshen Wangye's Salt For Peace Festival. Held altogether by Southwest Coast National Scenic Area Administration, Nankunshen Temple, and integrated forces from all walks of life.

Hashtag: #TheSouthwestCoastNationalScenicAreaHeadquarters

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