Baishatun Mazu Arrives in Beigang, Surrounded by Myriad of Believers Entering the Temple
The Baishatun Mazu pilgrimage from Miaoli arrived at Beigang Chaotian Temple in Yunlin today. Escorted by a record 460,000+ believers, the deity entered the temple and will begin the rapid return journey early tomorrow.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 16, 2026 at 12:55
- 🔍 Collected: April 16, 2026 at 13:01 (6 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 01:16 (60h 14m after Collected)
Central News Agency Message
(CNA Reporter Chiang Yi-ching, Yunlin County, 16th) The Baishatun Gongtian Temple Mazu pilgrimage on foot from Tongxiao, Miaoli, arrived in Beigang Township, Yunlin County this morning. Surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people, Mazu entered the temple and is scheduled to begin the return journey around midnight tomorrow.
Known as the "Pink Supercar," the Baishatun Mazu, accompanied this year by the Gongtian Temple Main Hall Mazu, Luzhu Mazu, and Shanbian Mazu, led over 460,000 "incense light feet" (pilgrims) on an 8-day, 7-night foot pilgrimage. They arrived at Beigang Chaotian Temple today, will hold the fire allocation ceremony at 12:10 AM tomorrow, return to their home temple at 4:10 PM on the 20th, and open the furnace on May 1st.
The crowd cheered "Jin o! Jin o!" (Enter! Enter!). Around 11:00 AM, amidst hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets, the palanquin performed the traditional three-advance, three-retreat ritual to enter Beigang Chaotian Temple.
Hong Wen-hua, Chairman of Gongtian Temple, stated that there were many firsts this year, including a record-breaking number of registered participants exceeding 460,000. The Mazu palanquin had not passed through townships like Xiluo and Huwei for years; this year, it visited friendly temples along the route to build relationships, setting records for "four Mazu gatherings" multiple times.
Hong Wen-hua mentioned that group worship began after entering the temple today. For the highlight fire allocation (Gehuo) ceremony tonight, due to the massive number of participants, the format of the petition paper was slightly adjusted. In past years, each paper listed 168 names; this year, it accommodates 288 names. There are over 1,600 petition rosters, which are tentatively scheduled to be read starting at 9:00 PM. Reading them will take 2 to 3 hours. After the ceremony is completed, Mazu will board the palanquin to begin the return journey.
Hong Wen-hua pointed out that with recent high temperatures, many people have suffered from heatstroke. After boarding the palanquin late tonight, the return will be a forced march, covering over 300 kilometers in a little over two days. This is a significant challenge for the pilgrims, reminding them to stay hydrated.
A woman surnamed Tsai, living in Taipei City, followed the Mazu palanquin to Beigang. She told the CNA reporter that although the journey was long and physically exhausting, seeing everyone's selfless dedication and providing food for connection moved her deeply, promising to participate again next year.
Tsai Yung-te, Chairman of Beigang Chaotian Temple, noted that this year's grandeur exceeded previous years. People from Yunlin and even other counties showed immense enthusiasm welcoming Mazu, preparing many beverages and foods to connect with the pilgrims.
Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-shan, KMT Legislator Chang Chia-chun, DPP Legislator Liu Chien-kuo, DPP Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung, TPP founder Ko Wen-je and his wife, TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang, and TPP Legislator Tsai Chun-chou successively arrived at the Beichen Police Station to welcome the Mazu palanquin. (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150416
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(CNA Reporter Chiang Yi-ching, Yunlin County, 16th) The Baishatun Gongtian Temple Mazu pilgrimage on foot from Tongxiao, Miaoli, arrived in Beigang Township, Yunlin County this morning. Surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people, Mazu entered the temple and is scheduled to begin the return journey around midnight tomorrow.
Known as the "Pink Supercar," the Baishatun Mazu, accompanied this year by the Gongtian Temple Main Hall Mazu, Luzhu Mazu, and Shanbian Mazu, led over 460,000 "incense light feet" (pilgrims) on an 8-day, 7-night foot pilgrimage. They arrived at Beigang Chaotian Temple today, will hold the fire allocation ceremony at 12:10 AM tomorrow, return to their home temple at 4:10 PM on the 20th, and open the furnace on May 1st.
The crowd cheered "Jin o! Jin o!" (Enter! Enter!). Around 11:00 AM, amidst hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets, the palanquin performed the traditional three-advance, three-retreat ritual to enter Beigang Chaotian Temple.
Hong Wen-hua, Chairman of Gongtian Temple, stated that there were many firsts this year, including a record-breaking number of registered participants exceeding 460,000. The Mazu palanquin had not passed through townships like Xiluo and Huwei for years; this year, it visited friendly temples along the route to build relationships, setting records for "four Mazu gatherings" multiple times.
Hong Wen-hua mentioned that group worship began after entering the temple today. For the highlight fire allocation (Gehuo) ceremony tonight, due to the massive number of participants, the format of the petition paper was slightly adjusted. In past years, each paper listed 168 names; this year, it accommodates 288 names. There are over 1,600 petition rosters, which are tentatively scheduled to be read starting at 9:00 PM. Reading them will take 2 to 3 hours. After the ceremony is completed, Mazu will board the palanquin to begin the return journey.
Hong Wen-hua pointed out that with recent high temperatures, many people have suffered from heatstroke. After boarding the palanquin late tonight, the return will be a forced march, covering over 300 kilometers in a little over two days. This is a significant challenge for the pilgrims, reminding them to stay hydrated.
A woman surnamed Tsai, living in Taipei City, followed the Mazu palanquin to Beigang. She told the CNA reporter that although the journey was long and physically exhausting, seeing everyone's selfless dedication and providing food for connection moved her deeply, promising to participate again next year.
Tsai Yung-te, Chairman of Beigang Chaotian Temple, noted that this year's grandeur exceeded previous years. People from Yunlin and even other counties showed immense enthusiasm welcoming Mazu, preparing many beverages and foods to connect with the pilgrims.
Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-shan, KMT Legislator Chang Chia-chun, DPP Legislator Liu Chien-kuo, DPP Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung, TPP founder Ko Wen-je and his wife, TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang, and TPP Legislator Tsai Chun-chou successively arrived at the Beichen Police Station to welcome the Mazu palanquin. (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150416
Choose to stand with facts. Every sponsorship from you is the power to guard press freedom.
Download the CNA "First-hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.