Taiwan people come to worship goddess in Gansu

A ceremony for the legendary goddess – Xi Wangmu (Queen Mother of the West) -- in Jingchuan county, Gansu province, her reputed birthplace, on Aug 31, attracted people from both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

The growing number of organizations from Taiwan has visited Jingchuan to trace their ancestral roots, since 1990.

People from both sides of the Taiwan Straits take part in the memorial ceremony for the Queen Mother of the West in Jingchuan county, Gansu, on Aug 31. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

The county has China's largest and oldest shrine for Xi Wangmu of this kind, which traces its origins back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC- 24AD). Xi Wangmu is associated with Taoism, as a giver of prosperity, longevity and eternal bliss.

Tolling the bell to mark beginning of the sacrificial ceremony for the Queen Mother of the West. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

The ceremony started having sacrificial offerings to the Queen Mother in 2013 and has become a significant gathering and great opportunity for the people across the Taiwan Straits to communicate with others.

People dressed in Hanfu, traditional Chinese clothing, perform for the ceremony, in Jingchuan county. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

Edited by Roger Bradshaw