The Yimin Festival at Baozhong Yimin Temple is an important national folk custom. It is one of the Twelve Major Hakka Festivals listed by the Hakka Affairs Council. This year, it is Fangliao Township’s turn to host the Yimin Festival. The Yimin Ye worship ceremony was held on the morning August 27th. President Tsai Ing-Wen, Premier Su Tseng-Chang, Minister of the Hakka Affairs Council Yiong Con-ziin, Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-Yung, Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-Ke and others participated in the worship and prayed to Yimin Ye for blessing, prosperity and peace for the country and people.
In her speech, President Tsai Ing-wen pointed out that hearing the familiar Hakka greetings each time she visited the Baozhong Yimin Temple made her feel as if she has returned home. Today she was very happy to see her Hakka friends. With the pandemic, there has been few opportunities to meet, but seeing many old friends today was a very warm feeling.
Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-Ke indicated that since this year's festival was being held during the pandemic, it was handled in accordance with the guidelines of the Central Epidemic Command Center. He believes that the everyone's devotion to Yimin Ye has not diminished. The Yimin Festival is the most important festival for the Hakka people. The Yimin spirit is a very important cultural force in Taiwan, and its greatest significance is being "united as one”. This is a major force for uniting the Hakka people, and a very important conviction for Taiwan in the face of any challenge.
Yimin Ye saw Hakka villages through the cholera outbreak in the 1910s, and the global H1N1 influenza pandemic. With the COVID-19 pandemic today, he hopes that regardless of any walks of life, the Yimin Ye spirit of loyalty will prevail so that everyone can work hard together for this land. He believes that with the protection of Yimin Ye and the pandemic prevention efforts of the entire nation, normal life can soon be restored.