(Minghui.org) The annual Heaven Mending Day Lantern Parade in Hsinpu Town, Hsinchu County, Taiwan was held on the evening of February 16, 2025. Fifty teams and nearly 2,000 people participated.
Heaven Mending Day is a Hakka festival held on the 20th day of the first lunar month, which is one of the important festivals celebrated by the Hakka people in Taiwan. The lantern parade is a popular local event.
Tian Guo Marching Band, waist drum team, and fairy lady group composed of Falun Dafa practitioners were invited to participate. The three teams had a total of about 200 members, and many people said they were spectacular. Their band was the largest in this parade.
The Tian Guo Marching Band performs in front of the main viewing stage.
Practitioners’ waist drum team passes by the main viewing stage.
Mayor Chen Yinglou welcomed the Tian Guo Marching Band, and said, “Heaven Mending Day is a traditional festival of the Hakka people. After Heaven Mending Day, the New Year Festival is considered to be over and work officially begins. Hsinpu holds celebrations every year. We hope to enrich our community through these cultural and artistic parades.” He explained that he watched the video of the band performing at the Chiayi International Wind Band Festival and looked forward to communicating with and learning from them.
The band director, Ms. Huang Shu-nv, said that the Taiwan Tian Guo Marching Band was founded by Falun Dafa practitioners in 2006. The members come from different ages from all walks of life across the country. There are more than 500 members from all over Taiwan. Since its establishment, it has been invited to perform hundreds of times in Taiwan and abroad, and traveled to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries. It was also invited to perform at the Chiayi International Wind Band Festival parade and large-scale musical events in various places for 13 consecutive years.
Ms. Huang said that the band members follow Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and hope to bring light and grace to the world through pure and brilliant music.
Ms. Lin, a senior member of the band, said she’s a retired elementary school teacher and is honored to be able to join such a team. She participated in the founding of the band and traveled to more than ten countries, including going to India seven times. She feels every performance is special, especially those they gave in India, where Buddhism originated. People lined the streets to welcome and warmly applauded the band, and she was very touched!
Crowds lined both sides of the main stage to watch the performances. Many people saw the band’s performance for the first time and said they were amazed to see a band composed of nearly 200 people. People praised the band and some said: “It’s spectacular and magnificent,” “The music is solemn and beautiful,” and, “The performers are all in high spirits.”
Mr. Qiu said, “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are universal values and are very important. I feel kindness is what Taiwanese society needs most now. Only by maintaining kindness can we avoid hurting each other. I know about the persecution of Falun Dafa in China. I agree with the importance of safeguarding human rights. It’s precious to be able to live a free life in Taiwan and we should cherish it!”
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