This festival is celebrated with great pomp and ceremony at Taipei’s city god temple. The worship of city gods is a practice that has recorded in China as far back as the early Xia dynasty (2200 BC), and remains one of Taiwan’s liveliest celebrations. City gods are said to have power to protect a city inhabitants from both natural disasters and enemy intruders, and also advise the Lord of Heaven and the King of Hell regarding appropriate rewards and punishments for the city’s resident after death.