TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —  Thousands of people crowded the streets in Kinmen's capital city of Jincheng on Sunday (May 19) for the traditional festival honoring the City God. 

The traditional Minnan festival of the City God Parade, held every year on the 12th day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar, is the largest annual folk celebration on Kinmen. 

This year, major streets in downtown Jincheng were blocked off for six hours as thousands of revelers poured into the city from all over Kinmen, along with visitors from Taiwan and China, reported UDN. 

One popular tradition is the Centipede Troupe procession, where children dressed as characters from popular folk legends are seated on wooden platforms and carried around the city. The event also features a traditional “Chest-slapping Dance” which is a stylized take on Kun opera performed by a group of children. 

An important tradition of the day is for parents to give donations to the Wudao City God Temple in exchange for divine protection for their children. It is believed the City God will act as a heavenly parent for the children, ensuring health and prosperity. 

Sunday’s celebration marks the 344th year since the idol that was housed at the original settlement of Kinmen was transported to the Wudao City God Temple in Jincheng, which was formerly known as Houpu during the Qing Dynasty. The Ministry of Culture has recognized the Wudao City God Parade as an important cultural festival for Taiwan’s outlying islands.