The Taijiang National Park Headquarters (TJNP) of the National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior, has published “Mystical Taijiang—Deities and Protective Charms Legends” (Mystical Taijiang). This book has been recognized by Taiwan Historica with an Honorable Mention award for “Promotional Publications”. Authored jointly by Professor Wen-Feng Dai and his research assistant Jia-Chi Yang from the Research Center of Tainan Studiesat National University of Tainan, the book took two years to compile and publish. It focuses on folklore beliefs and is the first comprehensive book on local deities and the lesser-discussed protective charms.

 Director Hsieh Wei-Song of TJNP stated that the team, previously commissioned to research the intangible cultural heritage of the Taijiang area, transformed a wealth of documentary data and elder interviews into an accessible text, guiding readers through the local vigor of folklore and beliefs. The book incorporates extensive field data and photographs, showcasing the authors' thorough fieldwork. It is a publication that combines academic rigor with popular appeal, and TJNP is honored to receive recognition from the evaluators at the Taiwan Historica.

Mystical Taijiang introduces local deities, popular beliefs such as Youying Gong, and what the authors refer to as Pokémon-like “protective charms,” discussing these elements as part of the locals' endeavors to secure a livelihood. The Taijiang area, historically a harsh coastal region with poor soil and strong sea winds, offered many opportunities for land development. Consequently, within the protective circle of Taijiang homes, a variety of distinctive protective charms and deities brought from the settlers' original homelands can be found. The book features beautifully designed spreads summarizing annual and periodic local folk activities, including QR codes that link to videos and images, creating an immersive experience as if taking part in the ceremonies and protective charms in person, thus deepening the readers' impression.

To learn more about the deities and protective charms of Taijiang, you are welcome to purchase the book at Government Books Store, Wu-Nan Culture Plaza Bookstore, National Chengchi University Bookstore Tainan Branch, the Taijiang National Park Visitor Center store, or through online shopping platforms.