Lord Emperor Wenchang

Bike TrailLord Emperor WenchangLord Emperor Wenchang was originally the patron god of Zitong County in Sichuan. The title was conferred in Yuan Dynasty and thereafter gradually became customary. Lord Emperor Wenchang is considered as god of the imperial examinations and is in charge of good fortune and reputation in literature. During the Qing Dynasty, the faith spread and later on became firmly rooted in Taiwan because of the large number of pavilions, and ancestral temples. The most significant form of worship for him was the ceremonial festival held on his birthday, the 3rd day of the lunar 2nd month. Nowadays, people of Taiwan will visit an ancestral temple of Wenchang on the god’s birthday and before examinations to pray for the advancement of their studies and that they may emerge successfully from the examination. Furthermore, devotees will provide some offerings to improve their fortunes, for example, offering green onions, celery, radishes and sweet osmanthus.