TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) participated in a Penghu clay turtle-making event on Tuesday, showing her support for preserving local tradition.

According to a press release, Hsiao was accompanied by Penghu County Magistrate Chen Kuang-fu (陳光復) and Penghu Cultural Bureau Director Chen Yu-yun (陳鈺雲). The activity is part of Penghu’s Lantern Festival, said to be livelier than Lunar New Year, per CNA.

Chen said Penghu’s turtle blessing culture has been passed down for over a century. In Mandarin Chinese, the word for turtle is “gui,” which is a homophone for “to return” or “to bring in,” such as bringing in wealth.

Hsiao explained that turtles are auspicious symbols, representing peace and blessings. In traditional Taiwanese culture, the turtle is considered one of the “four sacred beasts” along with the dragon, phoenix, and qilin (kirin).

Turtle blessing culture is an integral part of Penghu’s local tourism. The tradition started with clay turtle figurines but has evolved to turtles made from rice and gold.

Hsiao said she hopes more people will come to appreciate Penghu’s charm and experience its local traditions. She said she was happy to see the county government host activities that help children learn about their hometown and cherish their heritage.