DONGGANG, PINGTUNG COUNTY — Donglong Temple (東隆宮) on Wednesday held a consecration and eye-dotting ceremony for the King Boat that will serve as the centerpiece of next year’s Donggang Wangye Welcoming Festival (東港迎王平安祭典).
Pingtung County Commissioner Chou Chun-mi (周春米), temple officials, festival organizers, and elected representatives attended the ceremony, which marked a major stage in preparations for the 2027 festival.
The Donggang festival is held once every three years and is recognized as an important national folk custom. It is one of Pingtung County’s largest religious events.
The wooden King Boat measures almost 47 Taiwanese feet, or about 14 meters, and the cost for its construction was approximately NT$13.8 million, the county government said.
A total of 76 shipbuilders and volunteers from Donggang and Siaoliouciou (小琉球) worked on the vessel. Construction of the wooden hull took about three months, followed by roughly two months of painting.
The wider construction and preparation process lasted nearly a year.
During Wednesday’s ceremony, designated eye-dotting officials held ritual mirrors in their left hands and cinnabar brushes in their right hands as they placed red markings on the boat’s dragon eyes, hull, and other important sections.
The rite formally consecrates the vessel and prepares it for its religious role in the festival.
The ceremony began with the arrival of Wen Wangye (溫府千歲) and Zhongjunfu (中軍府) at the King Boat workshop, followed by prayers, worship, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the unveiling of the vessel’s bow lantern.
The eye-dotting began at 9:15 a.m.
Afterward, organizers threw candy and mochi into the crowd in a ritual symbolizing fishermen scattering bait to attract fish.
Worshippers gathered with buckets, boxes, and raised hands to catch the food, which traditionally represents plentiful catches, abundant harvests, and good fortune.
Chou said the King Boat is the core of the festival and reflects both traditional shipbuilding skills and the work of local worshippers and volunteers.
She said each stage of the vessel’s construction, from selecting materials and building the hull to painting and consecration, carries religious and cultural meaning.
Donglong Temple Chairman Pan Ching-shih (潘慶士) said the King Boat workshop is now open for worshippers to visit, pray, and make offerings as preparations for the 2027 festival continue.
The Wangye Welcoming Festival combines religious ceremonies, traditional crafts, and community participation. It culminates in the ritual burning of the King Boat, which is believed to carry away misfortune and disease while bringing protection and peace to the community.
