Nestled in the market alleys of Fengyuan Old Town, the Fengyuan City God Temple, founded in 1856 (the sixth year of the Xianfeng Emperor's reign of the Qing Dynasty), has witnessed over a century of history and preserved the city's heritage. It serves as a significant center of folk religion in the Huludun area. The Taichung City Government’s Bureau of Culture announced that this Saturday, March 21, young cultural worker Hsieh Chia-chan will be invited to give a lecture at the Huludun Cultural Center. He will guide the audience through the “Journey of Welcoming the City God Home,” exploring aspects such as temple courtyards, folk art troupes, procession rituals, and daily life in the market, thereby revealing the cultural fabric in which faith and residents’ lives are closely intertwined.
The Huludun Cultural Center stated that Hsieh Chia-chan, a young man returning to his hometown, is the General Manager of the Taichung City Community Culture Promotion Association. He has long been involved in local cultural promotion and community-building activities, conducting in-depth research on the history of the Fengyuan City God Temple and the century-old "Welcoming the City God" procession, which has continued since the Qing Dynasty. The City God riding in a Japanese palanquin during the procession is a unique religious ritual and cultural symbol. He reflected that welcoming the City God is not only a matter of faith but also an integral part of the city's history.

Hsieh Chia-chan began by systematically exploring the history of the Fengyuan City God faith through guided tours, public television programs, stage performances, cultural experiences, and educational courses. This effort gradually transformed Fengyuan into an important cultural and educational center in the northern mountain city. His project, "Welcoming the City God at Dunjiao," received a special award in the community building project review, attracting and encouraging many young people to participate in the preservation and development of City God culture, thereby establishing a cross-generational cultural network.

The stories surrounding the City God festivals are rich with human warmth and legend. Hsieh shared a local anecdote: A woman at the market had her pot stolen and hurried to the City God Temple for help. Remarkably, the police soon found the trembling thief hiding beneath the City God's altar, prompting believers to exclaim, "The City God himself solved the case!" During a guided tour, a participant who received a small gift in front of the Zhong Kui statue later discovered that his arm was tattooed with an image of Zhong Kui—a coincidence that elicited gasps from the audience and underscored the fascinating connections between religious culture and modern life.

The lecture "Welcoming the City God Homecoming" will be held on Saturday, March 21, at 2 PM at the Huludun Cultural Center. Admission is free and open to all. The public is invited to explore the city's faith stories, experience the warmth of human relationships behind this century-old festival, and discover the cultural significance of welcoming the City God in Fengyuan. The lecture will examine how faith has become a vital link between the city and its residents, offering insight into the cultural soul of Fengyuan.