Bo Gong (Earth God)

When Hakka ancestors crossed the sea to Taiwan, the first thing they did on new farmland was often not to build a house but to set up a Bo Gong altar — greet the land first, then talk about clearing it.

Legend says Bo Gong was originally an old man named Zhang Fude, an honest and openhanded official in life, whom the people honored after his death as the god of the land in gratitude for his virtue. But in Taiwan the Hakka Bo Gong grew its own distinct forms. In Meinong there is a unique "Li She Zhen Guan" (Village Official) Bo Gong that folds in elements of Pingpu (plains indigenous) earth-worship — a trace of Hakka and indigenous cultures meeting, two peoples' histories held in a single altar. In Beipu there is the "Five Grain Bo Gong," especially revered by farmers, who come to pray at the altar in the busy season.

From the first sea crossing to the present day, Bo Gong has remained the Hakka's most everyday god — never lofty, just there at the field's head and the water's tail, like an elder who is always around.

There's no need for grandeur in worshipping Bo Gong: day to day, a plate of fruit and a pot of clear tea or rice wine is enough; at festivals, add the Three Sacrifices (pork, chicken, fish) and sweet rice cake (nian gao). The Hakka keep the tradition of worshipping Bo Gong on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month, and the most devout elders burn incense every day.

The most distinctly Hakka rite is "Doing Bo Gong Blessing" (also called "Eating Bo Gong Blessing"): the village residents take turns preparing food and eat together in front of the shrine — half thanksgiving, half neighborly gathering, and a genuine wellspring of Hakka community cohesion.

Those who farm keep a seasonal rhythm too: they pray before the Field-head Bo Gong before the busy season and return to give thanks after the harvest — the awe and wisdom of a life lived by the weather, all held in that back-and-forth.

The 2nd day of the 2nd lunar month — "Bo Gong's Birthday" (Earth God's Birthday) — is the most widely celebrated Bo Gong festival in Hakka villages. Shrines are decorated with lanterns and banners, and devotees bring offerings to celebrate. The 15th of the 8th lunar month is another important date, when Hakka people "Give Thanks for Peace," expressing gratitude for Bo Gong's protection throughout the year. In Meinong, a springtime "Bo Gong Village Patrol" event features devotees carrying the Bo Gong sedan chair through the settlement, praying for community-wide peace — it has become a significant cultural tourism activity. During Bo Gong's Birthday in Beipu, the celebration is combined with "Hakka Pounded Tea" (Lei Cha) experiences, inviting visitors to discover the warmth and uniqueness of Hakka Bo Gong faith.