Experiencing Interruptions?

God's Vessel︰A 3-Yaer Appointment

A century ago, more and more railroads were completed in western Taiwan. Some Hakkas from a mountainous community in the north of the island took advantage of this and moved southward. They ended up in Nanzhou, a Hoklo agrarian village and the host to a Receiving the Epidemic Lords ritual every three years. Residents would appeal to the Lords to drive away infectious disease and plague and bring peace to their land. For a half century now, the small Hakka community has been organizing a “Golden Buffalos” temple performance troupe to attend this triennial ritual that really belongs to a non-Hakka belief system.

  • Liu Hsiu-li
    Director
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 17, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Taiwan
  • Country of Filming:
    Taiwan
  • Language:
    Chinese
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director - Liu Hsiu-li
Director Statement

Making documentaries is oftentimes an introspective experience. One tends to find hitherto undetected prejudices, shackles, and frailty.
For a long time I had felt homeless after my parents were gone. But making this documentary has actually shown me a way home.
The residents of Dapu, the master builder of the Lords’ Boat, and the crew of the Dai Tian Fu temple in Nanzhou have all taught me one thing: one’s willingness to understand, love, and identify with the land under one’s feet will surely be reciprocated with a homelike, even parental affection.
What a shock to someone who left home at 15! Home has been all but a strange place for me up to now. Heartfelt thanks go to all the people who came to accept me as a friend during the course of making this documentary. Thank you for bringing me home.