In a din of firecrackers, cymbals and horns, a workforce of devotees carried the shrouded picket statue of a serene-faced lady, holding her aloft on a brightly embellished litter as they navigated by means of tens of 1000’s of onlookers.
Because the carriers nudged ahead, a whole lot of individuals had been lined up forward of them, kneeling on the street and ready for the second when the statue would cross over their heads.
Some wept after it did; many smiled and snapped selfies. “I really like Mazu, and Mazu loves me,” the gang shouted.
Mazu, typically often called the Goddess of the Sea, is the most generally commemorated of dozens of folks deities that many individuals in Taiwan flip to for solace, steerage and luck. The massive annual processions to honor her are noisy and gaudy. And but for a lot of, they’re additionally deeply non secular occasions, acts of religion displaying that Mazu and different spirits stay vibrant presences right here, alongside Buddhism and Christianity.
Taiwan’s two greatest pilgrimages for Mazu — named Baishatun and Dajia after the temples that pilgrims set out from yearly — not too long ago have been drawing report numbers of members. And a hanging variety of them are youthful Taiwanese, of their teenagers or 20s, drawn to experiencing the traditions of Mazu, like throwing crescent-shaped items of wooden in a ritual to divine their futures.
“I didn’t count on there’d be so many youthful folks taking the pilgrimage like this,” mentioned Chou Chia-liang, 28, a designer who had traveled from Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, for the Dajia pilgrimage, which begins in Taichung on the west-central coast. “Folks used to suppose the Mazu religion was for previous folks from the countryside. Go searching right here — it doesn’t seem to be that.”
Like fairly a number of different pilgrims, Mr. Chou, in a present of reverence, was pushing alongside a cart carrying his personal small statue of Mazu, often stored on the temple in Taipei the place he usually prays.
“This can be a bit completely different from my household’s faith,” he mentioned. “Most Taiwanese individuals are very tolerant. They don’t have the concept that ‘that is my religion and that’s your religion, they usually can’t go collectively’.”
Many Taiwanese folks say they’re happy with their proper to select from an abundance of faiths, particularly in distinction to the tight controls on faith in neighboring China. Taiwan’s non secular variety and vitality types a form of subsoil of the self-governed island’s identification and values.
About one-fifth of Taiwan’s 23 million folks rely themselves as Buddhist, one other 5 % are Christian, and over half participate in Taoism and a spread of associated folks religions, together with worshiping Mazu, additionally spelt Matsu. In apply, many individuals combine Buddhist and folks traditions as they pray for a wholesome start or a excessive rating on an examination.
“Native religions have re-emerged strongly because the ’80s and ’90s,” mentioned Ting Jen-chieh, who research religions at Academia Sinica, a high analysis institute in Taiwan. “Earlier than, they had been discovered extra within the villages, however now it’s throughout middle-class society too.”
The most important temples for Mazu and different deities are highly effective, rich establishments that become profitable from donations and companies, together with memorials for the lifeless. At election instances, candidates pay their respects right here, in addition to at Buddhist temples and Christian church buildings, conscious of the sway that non secular organizations can have with voters.
Beijing additionally tries to exert affect.
For many years, the Chinese language authorities, which claims Taiwan as its misplaced territory, has invoked shared non secular traditions, together with Mazu, to attempt enchantment to Taiwanese folks. Mazu additionally has followers in coastal jap China the place, the story goes, she was born round 960 A.D. in Fujian Province, and used her particular powers to avoid wasting seafarers from drowning.
No matter Beijing’s efforts, many pilgrims spoke of Mazu as a distinctly Taiwanese goddess, who occurred to have been born on the opposite aspect of the strait. Some brushed away the politics, and mentioned they had been fearful that the pilgrimages had been being sullied by an excessive amount of glitz, together with the troupes of dancers and pop songs blaring over loudspeakers.
“Many individuals just like the noise and sound and lightweight results,” mentioned Lin Ting-yi, 20, knowledgeable non secular medium who participated in Mazu’s pilgrimage in March. However, he added, “Each time I need to speak to deities, I wish to really feel and pray quietly, alone.”
For generations, the pilgrimages concerned largely farmers and fishermen who carried Mazu statues by means of close by rice paddies and alongside filth paths.
Now, the pilgrimages replicate a a lot wealthier, extra urbanized Taiwan. The Mazu processions cross by factories and expressways, the place the chanting and fireworks compete with the roar of passing vehicles.
Through the processions, the Mazu statues have been identified to cease at colleges, army barracks, and, one yr, a automotive dealership show room, whose staff hurriedly moved a automobile from the spot the place, the carriers informed them, the goddess wished to relaxation.
Alongside the annual routes, native temples, residents, retailers and corporations arrange stalls to supply pilgrims (largely) free meals and drinks — watermelon, stewed tofu, cookies, candy drinks and water.
Regardless of the hubbub, some pilgrims described how, as they fell right into a meditative strolling rhythm, the noise of the firecrackers and loudspeakers fell away, they usually typically struck up deep conversations, and friendships, with strangers strolling beside them.
“When you’re strolling, you may give your self extra time and area to suppose deeply about belongings you haven’t considered earlier than,” mentioned Hung Yu-fang, a 40-year previous insurance coverage firm worker who was doing the Dajia pilgrimage for a fourth yr.
Whereas the nine-day Dajia pilgrimage follows a preset route, the Baishatun pilgrimage is extra fluid. It doesn’t set a exact path prematurely, leaving followers to intuit which turns within the roads the Mazu statue will take and the place she could cease.
When her carriers reached an intersection this yr, a tense air settled over the pilgrims, ready whereas the statue bearers shuffled and turned this fashion and that — by their account, ready for Mazu to resolve which path she needed to take. They cheered when Mazu headed off once more.
At evening, the carriers rested the Mazu statue in a temple, and hardier pilgrims slept within the temple or on the close by streets. unrolling skinny rubber mattresses.
As Taiwan industrialized, it appeared potential that such rituals may survive solely as symbols of the island’s fading rustic roots.
“For a while, it was for the decrease rungs of society. Only a few hundred folks would participate within the pilgrimages,” mentioned Professor Ting, the faith researcher. “Now it’s standard, however a number of the brand new, youthful members solely stroll for a number of days — not the entire journey — to expertise it as Taiwanese tradition.”
In recent times, the surge of members has been spurred by media consideration (Taiwanese TV covers the pilgrimages like they had been main sporting occasions), on-line fans (Mazu’s progress may be adopted on the temples’ telephone apps), and ease of journey (trains are quick and environment friendly).
In 2010, the Baishatun pilgrimage drew round 5,000 registered members; this yr, practically 180,000 pilgrims signed up, a determine that doesn’t embrace the tens of 1000’s who joined informally alongside the way in which.
When the pilgrimage reached the Beigang Chaotian temple in southern Taiwan — its principal vacation spot earlier than turning dwelling — Mazu was greeted by an eruption of fireworks and gongs, and overwhelming crowds. Practically 500,000 folks turned up that day, a report, mentioned organizers.
Regardless of the warmth and crowds, folks lined up for hours to squeeze contained in the temple and catch a glimpse of Mazu, sporting an embroidered headdress draped with pearls.
“I couldn’t squeeze contained in the temple,” mentioned Mr. Chou, the garments designer, who this yr managed to stroll a part of each main pilgrimages. “However that didn’t matter. This time I additionally invited associates alongside so they might additionally get a style of extra conventional tradition.”
