City God Temple Night Patrol (城隍廟查夜暗訪)

Ghost Month in Hsinchu

Hsinchu is home to one of the biggest Ghost Festivals (鬼月) (also known as Zhongyuan Festival/竹塹中元城隍祭) in all of Taiwan. With its Chenghuang Temple (新竹城隍廟) as the highest ranking of its kind on the whole island, it is no wonder why the entire downtown is buzzing with excitement during this month. One of the events you’ll want to be sure not to miss is the night patrol (查夜暗訪) led by the Second Son of the City God (大二少爺).

The Ghost Gate opens on the first day of Zhongyuan Festival. Each of the following days are marked with various traditions revolving around the City God (城隍爺) and the hungry ghosts wandering the streets of Hsinchu. The festivities continue until the gate closes on the last day of the month. Many locals tread carefully to not upset any of the ghosts during the festival. The Second Son, however, takes to the streets on his night patrol to ensure Hsinchu is safe before the coming of the City God.

Another important event of Hsinchu’s Ghost Month is the removal of the cangue! Read more about it here!

Night Patrol

The largest temple fair in Hsinchu is the City God Inspection (新竹都城隍遶境賑孤) led by the City God. This festival falls on the 15th day of the 7th month according to the lunar calendar. Prior to temples coming from around Taiwan to pay their respects to the City God, it is the duty of the Second Son to clear a path and scare away any evil ghosts on the streets.

Hsinchu’s night patrol is known as an unannounced visit to inspect the streets and visit the surrounding temples. Participants in the procession gather in the square in front of the City God Temple at 6 pm on the 13th day of the 7th month according to the lunar calendar. With horns blaring, the Second Son gets to work with his entourage. The path taken by the procession follows the historic wall of Hsinchu. Although only the East Gate is left standing, the patrol follows where the walls would have stood if they were not torn down by the Japanese.

If you’re looking for Japanese colonial history, be sure to check out the Japanese dormitories off of Nanda Road!

The Procession

The most unique aspect of the night procession are the torches held by its participants. Before there was electricity, fire was used to illuminate the street as the Second Son of the City God made his rounds of Hsinchu. As technology developed, the need for torches died out. Today, the tradition of the torches has been brought back to the night patrol. Although there is no practical need, the custom mirrors much of what the past generations would have done during this procession.

Another essential part of the night patrol are the two gods known as General Xie and General Fan (謝范將軍). The two generals (七爺八爺), one black and one white, both represent the idea of yin-yang. The job of these two figures is to lead spirits to the underworld. Since the Lord of the City God Temple is the magistrate of hell, it makes sense that he works very closely with these two deities.

One part of old Hsinchu you’ll want to be sure to visit is the Hsinchu Prison Martial Art Hall!

Circling Hsinchu

Leaving Hsinchu’s City God Temple behind, the Second Son and his generals begin their night patrol. The entourage is also made up of several other sections known as zhentou (陣頭). With the Second Son pulling up the rear, his coming is announced with deafening firecrackers, colorful banners, the beating of drums, and glaring neon lights. The temple fair troupes change from year to year, so there is no telling who you may come across.

When joining the night patrol of Hsinchu, you’ll be given a whole new perspective on the city. Most days, the roads are full of speeding cars with blaring horns. With the temple fair, however, you’ll be walking up overpasses and have the entire city opened up to you. No matter what may be in his path, the Second Son gets the job done despite any buildings or roads have been built on his historic route.

You can discover handmade crafts and history at Hsinchu’s General Village!

Visiting the Temples

The Ghost Festival Night Patrol not only follows the historic wall of Hsinchu, but they also make a point to visit each and every major temple within the city. This “unannounced visit” makes sure all of the other deities are prepared for the coming of visitors on the day of the City God’s inspection. The generals are the first to approach a shrine or temple before the Second God’s palanquin bounces back and forth in front of the alter.

Some of the temples, such as Chulian Temple (竹蓮寺), have their very own gods present for inspection. Qianli Yan (千里眼), Shunfeng Er (順風耳), and two other incarnations of General Fan and Xie sway in front of their temple waiting to receive the Second Son and his generals. Performing an intricate dance, the gods dance in the street to the sound of bells before the night patrol continues its procession around Hsinchu. 

Perched on top of a hill, you can get great views of Hsinchu from the National Military Cultural Park!

Keeping Hsinchu Safe

Starting at 6 pm, the entire night patrol can last up to five hours. It’s not just visiting each of the temples that take time. Traffic is still in full swing while the torch bearers and gods scare away any troublesome ghosts. Police can hold up different sections of the procession to keep traffic moving.  This means that the drummers will have to wait while the Second Son is stuck at a red light.

There is no doubt that the main event of Hsinchu’s Ghost Month Festival is during the City God’s inspection. That being said, the night patrol is special in its own right. Led by a team of torch-wielding aunties, spectators will be able to see a centuries-old tradition brought to life with modern Hsinchu as its backdrop. Rather than seeing the two events as separate, the night patrol is more like the pregame show before the entire city is electrified with traditional energy.

Wondering what to do in Hsinchu? You can find a whole list of the best things to do here!