Taiwan is a country which accepts different religions, such as Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity, Catholicism, Islam etc., as well as folk beliefs. Citizens have freedom of religious belief.
Temples are everywhere in Taiwan, they play a role in building community through religious activities.
“Bai bai” is the simplest ceremony, it means to talk to the gods. If you have any trouble or you feel confused… you can seek guidance from the gods by “zhíjiǎo” which means tossing the divination blocks. After “baibai” and “zhíjiǎo”, “shāo zhǐqián” is a way to express thanks. The meaning of “shāo zhǐqián” is burning fake paper money (joss paper).
You might consider these practices to be a bit superstitious but they are closely related to our life style. Taiwan is an island state surrounded by sea. Most people relied on fishing and agriculture to make a living in the past. As a result, today people pray for harvest, prosperity and a peaceful life.
【What can we expect at the procession?】
Temples are very common in Taiwan. If you look at the roofs, you will see “Chinese eaves”, they look like flying birds. “Chinese eaves” allow rainwater to flow freely, and make the temple look more imposing.
The dragon is a lucky animal in Chinese culture, you can often see two dragon columns at the front of temples, while near the door stones lions can be found. On the door, portraits of gods are painted. “Stone lions” and “Door-Gods” are meant to keep bad luck away and protect the other gods in temples.
Number Two is a lucky number in Chinese culture, so many things will come in pairs.
【What can we expect at the procession?】
Mazu’s birthday is on the 23rd day of the third lunar month. The procession walks from Dajia Jennlen Temple to Jiayi Fengtian Temple to celebrate.
During the procession, you can see numerous traditional performances and ceremonies.
“Palanquin” is the vehicle of Mazu. People believe that they can get a blessing by crawling beneath the palanquin
“Bàomǎzǎi”, who dresses up in a funny and special costume, works as a messenger to announce that Mazu is coming and inform those managing the procession of the conditions on the way. Don’ forget to look for him in the procession.
Although It’s a tough 9 day journey, most people accomplish it. Free food and drink are often provided to pilgrims by local residents. This is a great display of human kindness in Taiwan.