Every year, people from across Taiwan travel to the Matsu Islands to pray for dreams at the islands’ annual dream-praying ceremony. How does dream-praying work, and what do the faithful hope to accomplish? Taoist faith is an important part of life in Matsu, Taiwan. From a shortage of medical resources to unpredictable weather conditions, many aspects of life on these islands are beyond the residents’ control. When disaster strikes, they rely on deities to protect them and their loved ones. Once a year, faithful residents travel to the Five Spirit Temple in Matsu for a chance to receive a dream from the deities, an answer to their prayers. The temple also offers dream interpretation, as well as the services of “dream proxies,” who dream on behalf of those who cannot dream. This unique custom originated at the Longjiao Peak Temple in Fujian, China. Some members of Matsu’s Five Spirit Temple even make regular pilgrimages to Longjiao Peak to reconnect with the original site of the dream-praying tradition. This cross-strait relationship based on faith is a seldom-discussed connection between Taiwan and China that highlights just one of many cultural and historic ties between these two lands. Watch to hear from Matsu residents why they pray for dreams and the significance of this ceremony to their lives.

• Pilgrimage