Annual Baishatun Mazu pilgrimage to start April 12

Taipei, Feb. 2 (CNA) This year's Baishatun Mazu pilgrimage, widely recognized as Taiwan's longest religious procession on foot, will begin on April 12, Gongtian Temple in Miaoli County said Monday.

A ritual tossing of divination blocks, known as jiaobei, was held at the temple in Baishatun, Tongxiao Township, to determine the dates of key activities for the pilgrimage honoring the sea goddess Mazu.

Based on the results, a palanquin carrying the sea goddess will depart Gongtian Temple on April 12 at 11:55 p.m. and arrive at Beigang Chaotian Temple in Yunlin County on April 16.

The "Divine Spirit Renewal" ceremony will begin at the Yunlin temple at 12:10 a.m. on April 17, during which a fire will be lit for worshipers to take back to the Miaoli temple.

On April 20, the pilgrimage will return to Gongtian Temple, while the lighting of an incense burner marking an end of the annual pilgrimage will be held on May 1.

The management of Gongtian Temple said this year's pilgrimage will last eight days to and from Beigang. Registration is open from March 11 to April 9.

It added that last year's pilgrimage lasted a total of 10 days, with nearly 330,000 participants, setting a new record.

The pilgrimage from Miaoli to Beigang Chaotian Temple has been held for nearly 200 years, and it is known for following no fixed route or time frame. It was designated a national intangible cultural asset in 2010 due to its historical and cultural significance.

Hung Wen-hua (洪文華), head of Gongtian Temple's management commission, said three Mazu statues will participate in this year's pilgrimage, compared with just one or two in previous years.