The celebration called song wang chuan is a longstanding traditional festival held in coastal villages in Fujian province and Taiwan to avert calamities and bring blessings.

Also known as shao wang chuan and ji wang chuan, it originated from a tradition that ancient voyagers released little boats or decorated ships to pray for safety before sailing and then incorporated the worship of Zheng Chenggong, an admiral of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Taoist ritual hai jiao. Now it has evolved into a traditional custom featuring folk performances.

The custom was spread to Taiwan through boats traveling there, migration and religious exchange activities. It demonstrates the Minnan (southern Fujian) people's respect for the ocean, life, peace and justice, as well as their sympathy for vulnerable groups.