Why more young people are joining Mazu pilgrimages
Why more young people are joining Mazu pilgrimages
2026-04-30
Taiwan saw hundreds of thousands of people walk for the goddess Mazu this April in two massive religious events: the Baishatun and Dajia pilgrimages. Over 460,000 people participated in the Baishatun Mazu pilgrimage this year, a record high. More young people are joining annually, enduring blisters and heat as they walk hundreds of kilometers. Let’s get to know some of these young devotees.
Hundreds of thousands cheer for the Baishatun Mazu as she arrives at Beigang Chaotian Temple. The goddess and her devotees walk over 300km in this annual pilgrimage, and in recent years, more young people have been taking part in the tradition.
Chang Po-cheng
High-school student
I draw the Baishatun Mazu every year and this year was my fourth time. This time, I focused more on the details of the patterns on her clothes.
Chang Po-cheng’s desk is covered with images of Mazu. He uses his drawings to make badges and keychains, and has even held a Mazu culture exhibit at his school. Spending most of his time in a stressful academic environment, he finds the pilgrimage the best way to calm down and reflect.
Chang Po-cheng
High-school student
With so many people following, the pilgrimage is really about upholding a belief and conviction. It’s more like giving yourself a chance to relax and reflect. You just know Mazu is ahead, and the palanquin is coming, so you have to keep moving, keep moving, keep moving. For me, it’s a way to find some inner calm.
Young people can find peace and a sense of community from their faith. In addition to joining as pilgrims, another young believer set up a stinky tofu stand along the route.
Ko Chin-lung, who acts in traditional opera, has participated in the pilgrimage for eight years.
Ko Chin-lung
Matsu association leader
This journey was something I wanted to experience, so even though I was physically exhausted and in pain, I was limping, and my feet hurt a lot, I still felt it was worthwhile.
Through online posts and social media, Mazu is connecting with the younger generation.
Hsieh Jui-lung
Temple culture research center director
There’s no distance or barrier between people, and everyone helps and encourages each other. For younger people, they think it’s something hard to find in modern Taiwanese society, so it’s slowly becoming a popular custom.
Whether they come to find peace, community, or test their physical fitness, young people are joining these traditional pilgrimages in their own ways, keeping the tradition alive.
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#Mazu #BaishatunMazuPilgrimage #pilgrimage #religion #festival #tradition #youthparticipation #faith #youth
走一次就被感動! 媽祖囡仔:年輕人也瘋媽祖成虔誠信徒
2026-04-30
今年四月，白沙屯與大甲媽相繼展開進香，掀起全台瘋媽祖盛況，根據拱天宮統計，光是今年報名參與的"香燈腳"就突破46萬人，創下歷史新高，值得關注的是，這場傳統祭典中，年輕面孔越來越多，他們為何願意忍受起水泡、中暑的苦行？帶您來看這群"媽祖囡仔"。
白沙屯媽祖抵達北港朝天宮，數十萬信眾湧入，這場天數、路線全憑神意，全程超過300公里的苦行，近年來悄悄打破了，傳統祭祀是長輩專利的印象。
[[員林高中學生 張博程]]
“我每年都有畫白沙屯媽祖，然後這今年應該大概已經是第四版了。這一版我就有在細節上面，比較有多去著重在於它的衣服的這些花紋。”
高三學生張博程，書桌前擺滿了媽祖畫像，他不只手繪徽章、鑰匙圈，與信眾結緣，更在學校辦過媽祖文化展，對課業壓力繁重的他來說，香路是最好的沉澱。
[[員林高中學生 張博程]]
“有這麼多人在跟隨，其實走的是一種信仰的堅持跟一個意念。更像是給自己一個放鬆跟沉澱的機會吧，只知道就是媽祖在前面轎子要來了，要趕快走趕快走趕快走，我覺得是一種就是對於自己是一種沉澱。”
年輕人投入信仰，除了祈福，更多了參與感，在香路旁，這處發送臭豆腐與米血糕的補給站，就是由一群20到30歲的年輕人所組成的。
現職是傳統戲曲演員的柯進龍，已連續跟隨媽祖8年。
[[聖母善緣會會長 柯進龍]]
“這一段路程是自己想要來體會的，所以即便身體的勞累跟痛苦好了，就是跛腳，腳很痛，可是還是覺得甘之如飴。”
透過網路傳播與社群文化，媽祖信仰正與年輕世代接軌。
[[雲林科大台灣寺廟文化研究中心主任 謝瑞隆]]
“彼此之間就沒有距離、沒有隔閡，而且大家是互相幫助、互相鼓勵。年輕世代來講的話，他會覺得是一個在現代的台灣社會裡面，不容易可以感受到的一部分，慢慢變成是一個流行文化。”
無論是尋求心靈安定的高中生，還是熱血發放物資的社會青年，這群"媽祖囡仔"正用不同的方式，讓傳統香火代代相傳。
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