In a din of firecrackers, cymbals and horns, a workforce of devotees carried the shrouded wood statue of a serene-faced girl, 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 bunch 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 generally known as 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 large 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 exhibiting that Mazu and different spirits stay vibrant presences right here, alongside Buddhism and Christianity.
Taiwan’s two largest pilgrimages for Mazu — named Baishatun and Dajia after the temples that pilgrims set out from yearly — not too long ago have been drawing file numbers of contributors. 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 anticipate there’d be so many youthful individuals 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 “Folks used to assume the Mazu religion was for outdated individuals from the countryside. Go searching right here — it doesn’t look like that.”
Like fairly just a few different pilgrims, Mr. Chou, in a present of reverence, was pushing alongside a cart carrying his personal small statue of Mazu, often saved on the temple in Taipei the place he sometimes prays.
“This can be a bit totally different from my household’s faith,” he mentioned. “Most Taiwanese individuals are very tolerant. They don’t have the concept ‘that is my religion and that’s your religion, they usually can’t go collectively’.”
Many Taiwanese individuals say they’re pleased with their proper to select from an abundance of faiths, particularly in distinction to the tight controls on faith in neighboring China. Taiwan’s spiritual range and vitality varieties a form of subsoil of the self-governed island’s identification and values.
About one-fifth of Taiwan’s 23 million individuals 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 beginning 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 biggest temples for Mazu and different deities are highly effective, rich establishments that generate profits from donations and companies, together with memorials for the lifeless. At election occasions, candidates pay their respects right here, in addition to at Buddhist temples and Christian church buildings, aware of the sway that spiritual 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 spiritual traditions, together with Mazu, to attempt attraction to Taiwanese individuals. Mazu additionally has followers in coastal japanese 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 facet of the strait. Some brushed away the politics, and mentioned they had been apprehensive 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 wish to discuss to deities, I wish to really feel and pray quietly, alone.”
For generations, the pilgrimages concerned principally farmers and fishermen who carried Mazu statues by means of close by rice paddies and alongside dust paths.
Now, the pilgrimages mirror 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 vans.
In the course of the processions, the Mazu statues have been recognized to cease at faculties, navy barracks, and, one yr, a automotive dealership show room, whose workers 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, outlets and corporations arrange stalls to supply pilgrims (principally) 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.
“Whilst you’re strolling, you can provide your self extra time and house to assume deeply about belongings you haven’t considered earlier than,” mentioned Hung Yu-fang, a 40-year outdated 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 upfront, leaving followers to intuit which turns within the roads the Mazu statue will take and the place she might 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 determine which course she wished 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. Just some hundred individuals would participate within the pilgrimages,” mentioned Professor Ting, the faith researcher. “Now it’s well-liked, however a whole lot of the brand new, youthful contributors solely stroll for just a few days — not the entire journey — to expertise it as Taiwanese tradition.”
Lately, the surge of contributors has been spurred by media consideration (Taiwanese TV covers the pilgrimages like they had been main sporting occasions), on-line fans (Mazu’s progress might be adopted on the temples’ cellphone apps), and ease of journey (trains are quick and environment friendly).
In 2010, the Baishatun pilgrimage drew round 5,000 registered contributors; 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 major vacation spot earlier than turning dwelling — Mazu was greeted by an eruption of fireworks and gongs, and overwhelming crowds. Practically 500,000 individuals turned up that day, a file, mentioned organizers.
Regardless of the warmth and crowds, individuals lined up for hours to squeeze contained in the temple and catch a glimpse of Mazu, carrying 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 mates alongside so they may additionally get a style of extra conventional tradition.”
