Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage

大甲媽祖遶境進香

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Religious & SpiritualDajia and pilgrimage route
DatesDates TBA · Usually AprilCheck locally before booking
Duration10 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forCeremony, pilgrimageFew religious processions anywhere combine
Language["zh-Hant"]Currency: TWD
CategoryReligious & SpiritualFestival type
The story

Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage in Dajia and pilgrimage route

The Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage carries a statue of the sea goddess Mazu on a nine-day, roughly three-hundred-kilometre round trip on foot from Jenn Lann Temple in Dajia, Taichung, to Fengtian Temple in Xingang, Chiayi, and back. Rooted in a temple tradition dating to 1730, it is one of Taiwan's largest annual religious gatherings, drawing enormous crowds of pilgrims who walk the entire route.

Every spring, one of Taiwan's largest annual gatherings takes shape not in a stadium or a city square but along roughly three hundred kilometres of central and southern Taiwanese roads, as a wooden litter bearing an image of the sea goddess Mazu is carried on foot from Jenn Lann Temple in Dajia, Taichung, to Fengtian Temple in Xingang, Chiayi County, and back again over nine days.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Few religious processions anywhere combine the Dajia pilgrimage's scale, distance and sheer physical endurance: pilgrims walk the full nine-day route on foot behind Mazu's palanquin, sleeping where they can along the way, in a tradition that traces to 1730 when a migrant from Meizhou Island brought a Mazu image to Dajia and began a cycle of periodic pilgrimages back to her home temple

02

The mystery stays covered

A 1974 documentary by filmmaker Huang Chun-ming, following the then eight-day trek, helped popularize the pilgrimage nationally, transforming what had been a regional religious practice into one of Taiwan's most recognized annual cultural events, now supported by local environmental departments who send volunteers to clean the route as it passes

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The pilgrimage originated in 1730 near the founding of Jenn Lann Temple

Water and renewal

Living ritual

when a migrant from Meizhou Island in China brought a copy of the Mazu deity to Dajia and began the practice of periodically returning to the goddess's origin temple to ritually renew her spiritual power

The sacred route

Living ritual

a practice known as jinxiang

The local code

Living ritual

After Japanese colonial rule closed the original route to Meizhou in the 1890s

Tradition 5

Living ritual

the pilgrimage shifted to Chiayi's Fengtian Temple in 1914 and became an annual event after 1947

Tradition 6

Living ritual

growing steadily into the mass pilgrimage practiced today

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually April

Getting around

Move patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.

What to wear

Practical walking clothing is essential for anyone joining the procession itself, including broken-in walking shoes or hiking boots, moisture-wicking layers, and a hat, given the physical...

Safety

Watch local behavior before photographing, filming, or entering sacred spaces.

Where to stay

Stay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Tickets/cost

Public ritual moments are often free, but donations, transport, or temple access may vary.

Language/currency

["zh-Hant"] · TWD

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map25.05 N, 121.53 EOpen in Google Maps

Dajia and pilgrimage route, Taichung/central Taiwan, Taiwan

Nearest airportRMQ — Taichung International Airport / Ching Chuang Kang Air Base
TransportMove patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.
Stay areaStay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Dajia and pilgrimage route via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Dajia and pilgrimage route, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for April.Compare faresFestival gearPractical walking clothing is essential for anyone joining the procession itself, including broken-in walking shoes or hiking boots, moisture-wicking layers, and a hat, given the physical demands of covering roughly three hundred kilometres on foot over nine days in central and southern Taiwan's often warm, humid spring weather.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Taiwan and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage?

Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage is listed for Past edition: 17–26 April 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage take place?

The festival is listed in Dajia and pilgrimage route, Taiwan. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

10 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Dajia and pilgrimage route, Taichung/central Taiwan, Taiwan

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLdajiamazu.org.tw
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually April
Source statusOfficial source linked
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