Annual Matsu procession begins

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on March 27, 2006. It features Dajia Matsu, the popular goddess and guardian of fishermen and sailors who is enshrined in Dajia Township in central Taiwan's Taichung County. Dajia Matsu recently set off on an annual procession in central Taiwan. It is one of Taiwan's largest religious and cultural events.

The annual procession of Dajia Matsu begins at the Chenlan Temple in Dajia. She then travels to the Fengtien Temple in Hsinkang Township in southern Taiwan's Chiayi County, and returns to Dajia on the eighth day of the journey. During the procession, a statue of Matsu sits on a special palanquin that is carried by devotees. Over the eight days and seven nights of her journey, Matsu will visit townships in Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin and Chiayi counties on a route that spans over 280 kilometers.

The annual procession of Dajia Matsu has been taking place in Taiwan for more than a century. In 1999, the Taichung County Government decided to organize it into a yearly cultural event that is titled the "Matsu International Festival". In 2005, thousands of Matsu's followers from around Taiwan attended the procession. In 2006, the festival began on February 26 with various musical performances and cultural exhibitions. It is scheduled to end on April 16.