DAJIA MAZU PILGRIMAGE

Despite the global pandemic of Covid-19, Taiwan, which has remained unaffected, has decided to maintain this year what has been designated as one of the three largest religious festivals in the world by Discovery Channel, and inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: The Mazu Pilgrimage. The pilgrimage will welcome 300 000 people during its 9 days, from April 9 to 19, 2021 and attracts more and more young people. Back to the departure of the Mazu pilgrimage from his residence, Zhenlan Temple, in Dajia District, Taichung. Every year, Mazu (the patron goddess of seafarers) sets off on a pilgrimage from her home at Zhenlan Temple in Taichung s Dajia District. This is the biggest Mazu pilgrimage in Taiwan in terms of the number of official participating brigades, or processional teams. It also has the largest number of followers who spontaneously join the procession along the way. The route of the nine-day, eight-night procession follows the path of early immigrants as they spread out across Taiwan. Apart from revisiting historical paths, the procession also strengthens the faith of local believers and helps them gain a deeper understanding of the significant cultural value behind this event. This ancient and elaborate sacrificial rite is a precious cultural asset. In recent years, the scale of the event has grown, becoming a classic example of how folk religion evolves in response to societal changes. In recent years, Dajia s Mazu Pilgrimage has been named one of the world s three biggest religious festivals by the Discovery Channel, and UNESCO has included Mazu beliefs and customs on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.