Taipei Zoo

Taipei Zoo solemnly held a “Grand Memorial and Blessing Ceremony for All Souls” on May 17 within the park. Taipei City Deputy Mayor Lin Yi-hua, along with City Councilors Chien Shu-pei and Chung Pei-chun, as well as local village chiefs, attended the ceremony in person. This event represents not only the fulfillment of a responsibility spanning over four decades, but also a story of gratitude toward early settlers whose efforts in developing the land ultimately contributed to today’s wildlife conservation efforts.

Through cross-sector collaboration with the Taipei City Mortuary Services Office, religious organizations including Muzha Zhongshun Temple and Matsuyama Cihui Temple, and private enterprise Taiwan Jenben, the zoo arranged for the eco-friendly reinterment of 454 individuals. These pioneers, originally relocated to Fude Cemetery prior to the zoo’s opening 45 years ago, have now been laid to rest through green burial, returning their remains to the earth.

This history dates back to 1979, when the zoo relocation project required the transfer of 454 individuals from Muzha’s Eighth Cemetery to Fude Cemetery as part of urban development. Decades ago, these early settlers painstakingly cleared and cultivated the mountainous land; today, it has become a vital site for wildlife conservation and environmental education. As the 40th anniversary of the zoo’s relocation approaches, and with the original burial structures at Fude Cemetery deteriorating over time, the zoo initiated this reinterment project with the support of the city government and the Department of Education.

The core concept of this reinterment effort is the continuity of life. With professional assistance from the Mortuary Services Office, the remains have been placed using green burial methods. This not only resolves issues related to aging burial sites, but also symbolizes a return to nature—allowing the pioneers to become one with the land and continue, in another form, to safeguard the natural environment. It reflects a respect for both human dignity and environmental sustainability.

The ceremony also highlights Taipei City’s public–private collaboration. Muzha Zhongshun Temple and Matsuyama Cihui Temple provided ritual services free of charge, while other organizations—including Wanhua Longxing Temple, Yuantai Daoist Temple, Taipei Hulu Temple, the Taoist Association, and Jingdu Construction—joined in offering religious support and blessings. Taiwan Jenben ensured that the reinterment process was conducted with professionalism and dignity, while the Mortuary Services Office facilitated environmentally sustainable burial practices.

The development of this land is rooted in the contributions of those who came before. With the support of government agencies and religious groups, these long-forgotten individuals have now been respectfully laid to rest in a natural setting. The three-day memorial ceremony, beginning May 17, combines Buddhist and Taoist rituals to pray for peace for all souls. In the future, this land—once shaped by the efforts of early settlers—will continue to serve as a foundation for ecological conservation and life education, where remembrance of the past and care for nature coexist in harmony.