Taiwan holds worship ceremony for mythical ancestor Fuxi

TAIPEI, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Over a hundred people attended a ceremony to worship Fuxi, the mythical ancestor of the Chinese nation, in New Taipei City, Taiwan, on Sunday.

The event was held at the same time as a similar ceremony in Tianshui in northwestern Gansu Province, where Fuxi is believed to have been born.

This is the 13th consecutive year that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have simultaneously held ceremonies of worship for the legendary figure, since the first such ceremonies took place in 2014.

During this year's event in Taiwan, held at the Xianse Temple in New Taipei City, representatives from various sectors observed ancient rites, paying respects to the sacred statue of Fuxi by bowing or prostrating.

Chief ceremony officiant Lee Chien-lung, who is also in charge of the Xianse Temple, noted that Fuxi is a spiritual origin revered by the Chinese nation as a whole. "The joint worship ceremonies demonstrate that both sides of the Strait share a common cultural heritage."

Lin Tien-jen, a former researcher at the Palace Museum in Taipei, said he felt "really moved" to attend the event and expressed hope that more such activities would be held to promote peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait.

In Chinese mythology, Fuxi is generally believed to have composed a calendar, invented "Bagua," or "Eight Trigrams," and taught people about hunting, fishing and domestication. Enditem