Detailed Introduction
At the very head of the procession walks a man in a bamboo hat and short jacket, a dry-tobacco pipe in his mouth and reading glasses on his nose, one foot in a straw sandal and the other bare, striking a bronze gong as he goes — he is the baomazi, whose job is to tell residents along the road in advance: Mazu is coming. This is the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage, the most iconic religious event in Taiwan. Every year in the third lunar month the procession sets out from Jenn Lann Temple in Dajia, Taichung, bound for Fengtian Temple in Xingang, Chiayi — a round trip of about 340 km walked over nine days and eight nights, passing through the four counties and cities of Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, and Chiayi and more than a hundred temples. Discovery Channel once named it one of the world's three great religious events (alongside Christmas Mass at the Vatican and the Hajj to Mecca), and each year it draws millions of participants — one of Taiwan's most precious pieces of cultural heritage.
Route and Itinerary
The procession departs from Jenn Lann Temple in Dajia, Taichung and makes its way through Qingshui, Shalu, Changhua, Xiluo, and Xingang, reaching as far as Fengtian Temple in Xingang, Chiayi, where it performs the "dividing of the incense fire" (huihuo) before turning back. The full journey is about 340 km over nine days and eight nights. Setting out before dawn each day, it winds along country lanes and through town streets, greeted by hundreds of temples that set up stops to host and honor the goddess along the way. The route is broadly fixed but adjusted slightly each year, with towns everywhere vying to have Mazu stop and stay — a lively affair.
Who Walks in the Procession
The procession is vast and highly ordered, and every role has its own history and function:
● Baomazi: the scout at the very front, in his distinctive get-up (bamboo hat, short jacket, dry-tobacco pipe in the mouth, reading glasses on the nose), one foot in a straw sandal and the other bare, striking a bronze gong as he walks to warn residents ahead that Mazu is about to arrive.
● Head Banner, Head Lantern, and Three-Immortals Banners: the ceremonial vanguard that announces the arrival of Mazu's sacred presence.
● The Thirty-Six Attendants: an honor guard bearing an array of ceremonial weapons, symbolizing Mazu's grandeur and dignity.
● Embroidered-Banner Teams: made up of devotees from many places, each carrying banners embroidered with the names of their temples.
● The Zhuangyi Troupe and Big-Drum Array: keeping order in the procession and clearing the way with gongs and drums.
● The Palanquin Bearers: the heart of the procession, shouldering Mazu's palanquin forward.
Passing Under the Palanquin
"Passing under the palanquin" (zuan jiaojiao) is the moment devotees most look forward to in the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage — people kneel and press themselves to the ground so that Mazu's palanquin passes over their heads, praying to ward off disaster and win peace and good fortune. As the palanquin nears, devotees kneel down along the roadside one after another, forming a human line stretching hundreds of meters — a magnificent sight. Man or woman, old or young, whatever one's status, everyone bows in equal, earnest prayer before Mazu.
Roadside Warmth
During these days, residents along the way set out offering tables of their own accord to greet the goddess, laying out abundant offerings and readying free banquet food, drinks, snacks, boxed meals, and places to rest. Stranger or not, they warmly call devotees over to "sit and eat" — a genuine human warmth that many describe as "the most beautiful scenery in Taiwan." Some shops along the route even close for several days to devote themselves entirely to hosting.
Joining Today
Anyone can join the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage freely — no registration, no fee. You can walk the whole way (following all nine days and eight nights), accompany it for just a stretch, or greet it at a fixed point along the route. In recent years, spread by social media, it has drawn crowds of young people and foreign travelers, becoming an international highlight of Taiwan's religious culture. During the pilgrimage you can also track the palanquin's position live by GPS. The Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage was designated a National Important Folk Custom in 2008.