Every year, on the 19th and 20th day of the Third Lunar Month, a month’s worth of pilgrimaging and ceremonial processions culminates in a fiery, colorful celebration at Beigang, a township in Yunlin County, located just west of central Taiwan. Worshippers, performers, and tourists alike gather around Chaotian Temple, which, having been established in 1694, is one of the oldest temples in Taiwan dedicated to Mazu. Beigang truly comes alive during this time; the many sights and experiences will delight and entrance anyone who stumbles across this intense, electrifying celebration of Mazu’s birthday, which happens to be taking place on May 1st, 2024, this year.
During the day of the 19th and 20th, the area around Chaotian Temple is especially explosive. Firecrackers are untangled and unrolled from large swaths, scattered onto the ground and, with little warning, are set off, causing plumes of smoke and flaming scraps of paper to litter the ground. Then, the process repeats, continuing for hours, all the way into the later afternoon. Within the temple itself, thousands of worshippers fill every room, praying, burning incense, and offering up gifts of money and flowers to Mazu and her five older sisters. There are multiple events and progressions that pass through and take place in Chaotian Temple; the most important being that each sister must be blessed in the Main Hall and then brought, via palanquin, through the temple. The temple itself is filled with the scent of incense and the music of bells, drums, chimes, and horns, and is decorated with a litany of architectural elements that reflect a variety of time periods and cultural influences.
Meanwhile, across town, performers and parade organizations meticulously put the final decorations on countless floats, costumes, and signs. Besides Mazu and her sisters on their individual palanquins, many gods, goddesses, heavenly guardians, celestial maidens, dragons, and other beasts of lore also take part in the procession as a way to celebrate Mazu’s birthday. Many of these deities are represented by performers in large, ornate costumes, some of which walk freely, while others are perched on top of floats in groups. It is common for local children to represent these deities and throw candy, toys, and snacks down to the watching crowd. The floats themselves are often extremely detailed and decorated with heavenly symbols and creative mechanics. As the sky grows darker, the floats and performers are especially dazzling, supplemented with neon lights and blaring pop music.
The celebrations at nighttime are especially exciting. Fireworks light up the sky with a multitude of colors. Night vendors serve Taiwanese sausage, stinky tofu, sweet bubble tea, deep fried sweet potato balls and other snacks, while restaurants and bakeries work late into the night selling roasted duck, beef noodle soup, Beigang wedding cakes, and fried pig intestine. The later the night grows, the more people join the celebrations until the streets are congested and the floats are surrounded by hundreds of worshippers vying for the treats thrown down by performers.
Beigang’s Mazu Pilgrimage is an unforgettable experience for anyone coming to see the fire, lights, and performers surrounding the Chaotian Temple area. There is no better place to learn and understand the traditions associated with Mazu’s birthday.
