Annual Mazu Pilgrimage and Parades Debut in Beigang|北港媽祖遶境 "藝閣花車"遊行登場

Yunlin Beigang's annual Mazu pilgrimage takes place on the 19th and 20th days of the third lunar month every year. Apart from temple parade formations of every kind, there is also Beigang's "yige" float parade, which features real people and is the only parade of its kind in the nation. Children dressed up as fairy tale and folk tale characters and threw cookies and candy to spectators. The cookies and candy are a symbol of safety.


Children and adults dressed as fairy and folk tale characters toss candy and cookies to spectators from their yige parade float. Local people believe the candy and cookies will bring them safety when eaten. Beigang's yige parade, which features real people and is the only parade of its kind in Taiwan, is one of the highlights of the township's annual Mazu pilgrimage. In the earliest days, the parade was held with manual float bearers. Over the years, these floats have been replaced with cargo trucks.

It's really fun and a special experience. (How is it special?) I've never seen it before anywhere else.

Many parents brought handheld electric fans along to keep their children comfortable as they watched the parade. Beigang's Mazu pilgrimage takes place on the 19th and 20th days of the third lunar month every year and features not just the yige parade, but also all kinds of temple parade formations. This year, a local artisan and his apprentices were asked to pass the art of yige parade on to the next generation.

Our teacher and his 18 students painted every painting and wrote every character over the course of six months.

Religious traditions have to be passed on to the next generation. So do arts and crafts. We thank all the master artisans for doing their part to make this happen.

Chaotian Temple says the Mazu temple fair is the most important religious event of the year in Beigang and lasts five days. Yige parades will be held at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. every day from the 23rd to the 27th. The temple hopes everyone can come take part in the festivities and give the local economy a boost at the same time.



抹上妝換上衣服，每位大、小朋友打扮成神話與民間故事的主角，站坐在藝閣車上灑下糖果和餅乾，沿途擠滿民眾撿拾吃平安，真人藝閣遊行是北港媽祖遶境活動的重頭戲，最早期的藝閣是以人力來扛，隨時時代進步，慢慢才改由貨車改裝遊行。

參與民眾表示：「很有趣啊！很特別的體驗。(怎樣的特別？) 就沒有看過，在別地方沒有看過。」

怕小孩子太熱家長們準備小風扇，就是不希望小朋友錯過參與傳統藝閣遊行的機會，每年農曆3月19、20號，是北港媽祖一年一度遶境活動，除了各式陣頭，今年還找來雲林在地工藝師帶領學生創作，傳承參與真人藝閣遊行。

雲林縣文化處處長 陳璧君表示：「裡面的每一幅畫，每一個字跡，都是我們老師加上18位同學，然後花將近半年時間， 一一把它創造出來的。」

北港朝天宮董事長 蔡咏鍀表示：「宗教要傳承，工藝也要傳承，也感謝各位大師，可以把工藝傳承下去。」

北港朝天宮表示，北港迎媽祖是當地最重大宗教盛事，繞境和相關活動一連會舉辦五天，其中真人藝閣遊行，從23號到27號每天下午2點半及晚上7點各一場，希望民眾來到北港拜媽祖、看藝閣，帶動當地商機和觀光人潮。