Taipei, February 18 (CNA) One of Taiwan’s most famous ancient temples was designated as a National Important Cultural Property on Saturday, as the annual pilgrimage from Mazu Temple to Beigang Chaotian Temple took place.
As well as its cultural and religious significance, the Beigang Mazu Pilgrimage is also representative of national and regional diversity, said Culture Minister Shi Che in a Culture Ministry press release.
The ministry announced that all participants in a review conference on Taiwan’s folk customs held on the same day agreed to raise the status of the pilgrimage, which is currently a “Yunlin County designated folk custom.”
The ministry said an official announcement would be made soon, adding that the Beigang Chaotian Temple in Yunlin County, built around 1700, would be recognized as a preservation entity for the activity.
The decision also makes the temple, which hosts millions of Mazu worshipers in 3,000 pilgrimage groups each year, the first organization in Taiwan responsible for maintaining two cultural heritage sites of national importance. .
In 2011, the temple was given the task of preserving the annual Beigang Mazu procession, which takes place on the 19th and 20th of the third lunar month. In this procession, the statue of the sea goddess crosses Yunlin County in a palanquin.
This journey is believed to bring good luck to southern Taiwan, which is visited by visitors from other Mazu temples across the country that year, and the custom has just been designated as a culturally significant asset. . The divine power of his subordinate Marsus.
Mazu, also known by other names such as Tin Hau (Queen of Heaven), is a deity that has been worshiped since at least the 12th century.
Originally from the Fujian province in southeastern China, she was a Fujian shrine maiden who was believed to have special powers to protect fishermen and sailors.
Over the centuries, worship of Mazu spread to coastal regions of China and overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Mazu beliefs were brought to Taiwan by early Chinese settlers and are still widely believed.
In later years, she came to be seen as a benevolent protector not only of fishermen and sailors, but of all people.