PilgrimagesEdit
The primary temple festival in Mazuism is Lin Moniang’s traditional birthday on the 23rd day of the 3rd month of the Chinese lunar calendar. In Taiwan, there are two major pilgrimages made in her honor, the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage and the Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage. In both festivals, pilgrims walk more than 300 kilometers to carry a litter containing statues of the goddess between two temples.[44][45] Another major festival is that around the Tianhou Temple in Lukang.[46] Depending on the year, Mazu’s festival day may fall as early as mid-April or as late as mid-May.[47]
My wife is planning a bucket list style thing and the Mazu pilgrimage is on it. Anyone ever complete the course or attend? Thoughts? Pics?
I’ve seen the foreigner social media guys oo-ing and awwing and that’s not what I’m into—- at all.
Thanks.
I recently learnt that one can become a “dual pilgrim” by completing both the Camino de Santiago in Spain and the Kumano Kodo in Japan. In the UK there is the famous pilgrims way from London and the recently rediscovered Old Way from Southampton to Canterbury. I know one of the people involved in the movement to rebirth the British pilgrimage tradition that has been dormant since Henry VIII and the dissolution of the monasteries. Here are some of his thoughts on pilgrimage:
I personally am most enthralled by the idea of a route being very ancient. I once went searching for some of the standing stones on Taiwan, but I only found a few. I was a little disappointed to discover some were overgrown and the locals seemed to think me a little daft for going to one place that I did find.
I think I would find the Mazu pilgrimage not too much to my liking, unless I had connection to the people involved, the places, or the seafaring or fishing life.
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Depending on the annual route, it would sometimes pass by my neighborhood. Got more of a night-marketish feel than a religious pilgrimage vibe. Was a good excuse to break out the lawn chairs and do some weeknight drinking with the neighbors though.
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Yeah, the videos I’ve seen were at the noisy end of the procession.
Not the thunderous beginning or the deafening middle?
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I’m hearing there’s a lot of just plain walking, not all the noise. I’m hoping this is true.
The noise is part of the tribute, that includes the fireworks horns and drums at every temple, shrine and street corner on the way, dont forget the disco music and pole dancers.
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