A Day Trip on the Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage 白沙屯媽祖進香
The Famous Mazu Pilgrimage
To really dig deep into Taiwanese culture, you’ll need to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with crowds of believers during the yearly Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage (白沙屯媽祖進香). Stretching 400km from the coastal town of Baishatun (白沙屯) down south to Beigang (北港), you won’t just be getting a good stretch of the legs. Many of the devotees are following the footsteps of Mazu in order to have their prayers answered. From world peace to sick relatives, each pilgrim has their own reasons to make the 400km down to Beigang and back.
There are few rules for this 9-day journey. You can make the pilgrimage as easy or as hard as you like. While some decide to walk right along Mazu’s sedan. Others, will ride bikes and stay in guest houses along the route. No matter how you decide to experience the Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage, it will surely be a memory that will last a lifetime.
Looking for more festivals in Taiwan? Be sure to visit the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival!
When To Attend the Mazu Pilgrimage
The Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage is not your typical temple fair. Every year, the date of the pilgrimage changes. On the 15th day of the 12th month, according to the lunar calendar, officials will ask the goddess Mazu when she will begin the journey down south. Speaking through jiaobei (筊杯) or moon blocks, the date will be set and the preparations begin. The date usually falls between January and April.
Everything from the time of departure and even the route of the journey is determined by Mazu. In the hours leading to the start of the pilgrimage, many other temples will visit Gongtian Temple (拱天宮) to wish the goddess a safe journey. The temples visit along with their own gods and goddesses accompanied by the blaring of trumpets and the blasting of firecrackers.
If you want to visit Beigang for yourself, be sure to check out our article here!
How to Attend the Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage
Once you lock down the date of the pilgrimage, the next step will be to know how to actually walk the trail. With modern technology, most information is provided on the Baishatun GPS app (白沙屯GPS). This app will inform followers when and where Mazu will march and rest during the journey. If you’re marching ahead of Mazu, you may find yourself stuck at a crossroads, not knowing where to turn. Those who want to make sure they go the exact route of Mazu will wait at the fork, seeing which direction the goddess will take.
Even if you decide to press ahead and not go the exact route as Mazu, it is impossible to get lost. Along the road, there are countless supporters providing refreshments in the form of snacks, drinks, tissue paper, and raincoats. Even if you find yourself getting tired, there are designated vehicles that will take you on to the next town, free of charge. With portable toilets and even showers, the pilgrimage has everything you need to make the trip as easy as possible.
Another side of Taiwanese culture you’ll want to be sure to check out is Confucianism! Read about Confucius’s Birthday in Taiwan here!
Dropping Like Flies
Before the pilgrimage has even begun, you’ll already find worn-out devotees massaging their feet on the side of the highway. Other travelers are well prepared with their own sleeping mats and even tents to make themselves at home, no matter where they are. The amateur pilgrims may walk at a slower pace, but the veterans are quick to bob and weave their way through the trudging first-timers.
There are plenty of pilgrims that carry their very own effigies of Mazu the entire journey down to Mazu and back. Much like the Baishatun Mazu, there are teams of people that will alternate carrying the god whenever someone starts to get tired. What makes the journey particularly special is that everyone is willing to lend a helping hand. Both pilgrims and locals will go out of their way to make sure everyone is safe and healthy during the journey.
Wanting to visit the mountains? Check out Quanhua Temple on Lion’s Head Mountain here!
A Mazu Day Trip
If you’re a traveler on a tight schedule, you can always make the Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage into a day trip. The best way to turn make a Baishatun day trip is to visit the temple on the first day before the goddess sets out on her journey. This way you’ll be able to witness Mazu sitting in her temple and all of the surrounding temples coming to pay their respects. You’ll also have to fight with the 100,000 other people cramped into this small village, however.
A good distance for a day trip of the pilgrimage will be from Baishatun down to Taichung (台中). The journey takes about 10 hours and stretches roughly 50km. Even if you find yourself getting tired before reaching Taichung, there are train stations in nearly every town along the route. With coffee and snacks being thrown at you at every turn, this will make for quite a relaxing walking tour.
Another amazing day trip from Hsinchu, Taiwan is up to Putian Temple. Read more here!
Walking With Gods
Devotees with their orange hats stretch out like lines of ants along the highway from Baishatun to Beigang. After Mazu arrives at her destination, it is only a day’s rest before she shoots right back up beginning the journey home. Along the route, you will be lucky to catch a glimpse of the goddesses’ sedan. Hoards of pilgrims and locals make their way to the streets in masses. The fireworks light up the night sky as crowds push to see Mazu whiz by on her palanquin. Due to the massive number of people, many spectators will have no idea when Mazu has arrived or marched on.
Even without seeing Mazu, the air surrounding the route is electric. A day trip on the Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage will leave you planning on returning to partake in the entire 9-day journey. During the trip, travelers will not only have the beauty of Taiwan put on full display, but they will also witness the kindness of its people firsthand.
You can find a complete list of all of the best things to do in Taiwan here!
