Arwen Huang<\/p>\n
Journalistic Writing<\/p>\n
Professor Amie Parry<\/p>\n
June 24, 2011<\/p>\n
A Long Journey with the Luang Sedan<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the day when my grandpa comes back after completing his Mazu pilgrimage which is about one hundred fifty kilometers passing through about eight counties. When I visit my grandpa\u2019s house and enter, I see my grandpa leaning on the armchair and he puts his hands on his belly. He looks relaxed and peaceful. And when I call him grandpa, he smiles at me. My grandpa is a short old man with black hair and very dark skin. I find that he is tired actually for he looks sleepy. Suddenly, I notice two red flags with dragon patterns on them which were placed on the table. And the flags are tied with yellow Taoist papers. My grandpa tells me that the flags with Taoist papers are the evidence of completing the Mazu pilgrimage because when pilgrims visit one temple during the pilgrimage, they will tie one Taoist paper of the temple to their flags. I wonder how many temples my grandpa visited so I count the number of papers on one of the flags, they are about eighty. \u201cI didn\u2019t tie all the papers on it,\u201d my grandpa looks at me and says. I was surprised that he means he visited more than eighty temples in nine days. No wonder my grandpa looks so tired because he just completing the pilgrimage today.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Actually this is a special day in Dajia town, huge crowds throng the streets as if everyone is outside. And lots of street vendors that haven\u2019t been here before stand on the either side of streets. Crowds talk and laugh happily for celebrating the last day of the Dajia Chen Nan Palace\u2019s Mazu nine-day patrol and Mazu pilgrimage. And the activity of Mazu patrol and the pilgrimage is the so called \u201cCrazy March with Mazu.\u201d For it launches in March of the lunar calendar and the Dajia\u2019s Chen Nan Palace\u2019s Mazu pilgrimage is the grandest religious activity in Taiwan. Meanwhile, it is one of the three grandest religious activities in the world. The activity has become famous internationally. I think it is a kind of honor of Taiwan for the activity publicizing Taiwan to the globe.<\/p>\n This day when I walk on the street in Dajia, I hear the sounds of explosions everywhere. The sounds almost make me deaf. Firecrackers and fireworks are being let off unceasingly. The sky is covered with white smoke. And I see the square in front of Chen Nan Palace is surrounded by the multitude, the only room in the center of the square is for a Buddha passing through and entering the temple. Behind the Buddha, I notice the parade lines up and follows it. Actually, the parade extends many blocks for one kilometer. Crowds stand by the both sides of the road, watching the parade. Actually, it is the Mazu\u2019s parade that is comprised of not only Chen Nan Palace\u2019s troupe but many other temples\u2019 like Chung Li Chao Ming Temple, New Taipei San Feng temple, etc. On the street, I also notice some people who go backpacking and have red flags in their hands. They are Mazu pilgrims who follow the Mazu\u2019s nine day patrol to go on a pilgrimage on foot. I can recognize them as pilgrims because of their equipment the red flag which my grandpa has one too, and my grandpa is a Mazu pilgrim. He tells me that he has attended the Mazu pilgrimage for fifty seven years. He is seventy three years old now. \u201cMy grandpa told me to attend the Mazu pilgrimage with him when I was sixteen,\u201d my grandpa laughs, \u201cin order that Mazu would bring me to a good wife.\u201d He looks serious and I scarcely believe he had such a strong passion to attend it for such a long time. \u201cChen Nan Palace\u2019s Mazu is famous for efficiently fulfilling pilgrims\u2019 wishes and it blesses every pilgrim,\u201d my grandpa says. Since that time, my grandpa had participated in the Mazu pilgrimage annually except the year when my great grandmother passed away.<\/p>\n The aim of the Mazu patrol is to enhance the relationship between Mazu and other gods, Chen Nan palace and other palaces through visiting them every year. And Mazu pilgrims accompany with the parade of Mazu patrol to make their pilgrimage in older to show their piety to Mazu. My grandpa believes that making a pilgrimage will be blessed by Mazu. \u201cAnd the Mazu pilgrimage is interesting,\u201d my grandpa says with a smile. When my grandpa was young, Taiwan was an agricultural society and people\u2019s life was simple. The Mazu pilgrimage was an important activity and special event like a celebration for local people in Dajia and they were excited about the activity. For pilgrims, making the Mazu pilgrimage was a kind of journey that was a rare opportunity in that time. My grandpa says, \u201cOriginally we went to Pei Kang but changed to Shin Kan later.\u201d I am curious about the historical change so I look up some information about it. According to Wikipedia, at the beginning, the destination of the Mazu pilgrimage was\u00a0Chao Tien Palace in Pei Kang, however the dispute about the orthodox Mazu of Taiwan between Chao Tien Palace and Chen Nan Palace broke off the pilgrimage to Pei Kang. The relation between the two palaces broke up so Chen Nan palace changed the pilgrimage destination to Feng Tien Palace that welcomes it in Hsin Kang. And this change didn\u2019t decrease the number of Mazu pilgrims. On the contrary, the number of Chen Nan Palace\u2019s Mazu pilgrimage was increasing. And Mazu visited more and more temples: \u201cthere were about sixty temples before but today there are about one hundred and twenty,\u201d my grandpa looks like that he is proud of the change. And last year, Chen Nan Palace prolonged the Mazu pilgrimage from seven days to eight days, \u201cbecause pilgrims in some regions complained that the time Mazu stayed in a locality was too short,\u201d My grandpa says. Then the president of Chen Nan Palace cast moon blocks,<\/em> wooden\u00a0divination\u00a0tools which are used in pairs and thrown to request an answer from the gods, to ask Mazu\u2019s permission to prolong the patrol one day and Mazu agreed. <\/em><\/p>\n Both sides of the parade are surrounded by people who are watching the display and waiting to touch the Luang sedan that is a Chinese vehicle for transportation of gods. The Luang sedan is carried by eight people. It is believed that it will bring good luck to touch the Luang sedan. Suddenly, I see the crowd line up and kneel down in the middle of the street. When the Luang sedan is coming, they crouch down immediately in order to let the sedan go over their head. This behavior is a custom of the Mazu patrol. If let the sedan go over your head, it will bring you not only good luck but also Mazu\u2019s blessing. In the process of the Mazu patrol, this is the activity that every believer wants to participate in. I think the activity is interesting and it appeals me to attend it, too. When I line up, I am jostled by the crowd who thrusts past me to cut in line. I begin worrying that I will be trod to death for the crowd surges to me. I am just about tripping so I immediately make my decision that I give up the opportunity that blessed by Mazu. When I quit lining up, the crowd in line is dispersed because the scene messes up and the schedule is delayed, the sedan carrier doesn\u2019t allow the crowd to interrupt the proceeding of the parade.<\/p>\n When the parade is marching, I notice the behaviors of the two Gods the Third Prince and Mad Monk. Originally, they move as usual in the parade, but then, suddenly, The Third Prince enters into a nearby store, walking around and then walks out. This scene is very interesting for me because I haven\u2019t seen any God walk into a building. I do not know why it enters but I know the place where it walks goes will be blessed. \u201cIt is believed that the longer the god stays, the more the place will be blessed,\u201d my grandpa laughs. \u201cThat is why people like to rob the Luang sedan and the pilgrimage prolongs has been prolonged one day.\u201d Robbing the Mazu\u2019s Luang sedan means to stop the people who carry on the sedan by firing firecrackers in front of them. Because Mazu is in the sedan and people believe the areas that Mazu stops longer, locals will be blessed. Because everyone hopes Mazu will stop in their areas, it often causes fights between the groups in the town. \u201cThe mazu parade has no time to travel all the streets, but some groups want the parade to change its routes to their areas, that\u2019s how the fights begin\u201d my grandpa suggests. Every year when the activities of Mazu patrol begin, I read the robbing sedan-related report on newspaper. I think the incidents reflect how believers crazy with Mazu and the great influential power of Mazu on the pilgrims.<\/p>\n Along the streets that the parade passes by, I saw many incense tables were in front of houses and stores by Mazu believers to show their respect to Matsu and pray for Matsu\u2019s blessing. Next to incense tables, there are offering tables where believers who put drinks like tea or water, or food like cookies on the table to offer Mazu pilgrims for free. And there are also some food stations that are built simply of canvas for the occasion by the roadside, providing meals for free. These stations attract people to bring their whole family to eat a meal there. As a matter of fact, I am impressed and moved by the custom for it shows people\u2019s generosity and kindness. Ordinarily, the occasion is rarely seen and I wondered if Matsu encourages the bright side of humanity. My grandpa tells me that his accommodations in the pilgrimage are totally free. \u201cLocal people are willing to provide their arcade or room for us to take a rest\u201d my grandpa says with a thankful voice, \u201cespecially one family has been steadily providing me with accommodation for free for many years.\u201d It sounds incredible for me that people are willing to provide accommodation for strangers. But it is true that Mazu builds friendship bridges among strangers. Meanwhile, it touches me that strangers help each other to achieve the same goal for no profit but piety. In these cases, I realize the influential power of Mazu.<\/p>\n Mazu pilgrims make their pilgrimage by bike, motorcycle, car and on foot. When my grandpa was young, he would walk from Dajia to Shin Kang. Now, my grandpa makes a pilgrimage with other old people. Every year, they take a vehicle nicknamed \u201ciron ox\u201d that is a kind of tractor to Shin Kang. A flatbed was attached to behind of the iron ox. Before the pilgrimage, the owner would build seats and a makeshift shelter to make iron ox comfortable for pilgrims to take. My grandpa and other pilgrims would sit on it during the pilgrimage. The ion ox can carry about fifteen Mazu pilgrims to Shin Kang. I tell my grandpa that I am curious about the process of his pilgrimage. \u201cEvery day we hurry on the way to Shin Kang, we don\u2019t take a rest more than four hours until arriving there. And after leaving Shin Kang, we hurry on the way to Dajia.\u201d What a hard journey, I think. \u201cIt was thanks to we take the pilgrimage by the iron ox rather than on foot. So we can have a nap on the way. As for the walker pilgrims, if they can\u2019t catch up the parade, we\u2019ll give them a ride.\u201d I am surprise for the kindness. When I am moved by their act of kindness, my grandma interrupts \u201cThey only kind to young girls.\u201d As soon as hearing what my grandma says, my grandpa laughs loudly. \u201cBut we really help each other during the pilgrimage. When it rains, we are willing to provide the walker pilgrims our iron ox as a shelter from rain.\u201d<\/p>\n During the pilgrimage, my grandpa has mentioned wherever the pilgrims passes by, the local are willing to provide food and accommodation free. So I guess the expense of the pilgrimage is small, it is almost free. My grandpa looks at me and says \u201cBut when we [the pilgrims] visit temples, we would donate little money to them. And we visited more than one hundred temples. Little money accumulates much money.\u201d The sum of donation shocks me for it is hard to believe that the pilgrimage would cost so much money. \u201cIt is voluntary donations, you can determine whether to make a donation or not,\u201d adds my grandpa. And he says that Mazu pilgrims believe the act of making a donation is beneficent and Mazu will bless them because of their benefaction. When people are frustrated or have trouble, some of them will seek for Mazu\u2019s help that is make wishes to Mazu for spiritual consolation. And sometimes their wish carries out, they will thank Mazu in many ways like donating sacrificial offering, gold bullion to Mazu and one of ways is to make the Mazu pilgrimage to express their gratitude to Mazu. Besides, my grandpa has heard some cases like one pilgrim\u2019s wish is cured after taking the pilgrimage. \u201cOne of my company\u2019s ankle hurt and worsen before attending the pilgrimage, but in the last second day of the pilgrimage, her ankle is better.\u201d<\/p>\n But I wonder if the number of the pilgrims who make a pilgrimage increases or not. Because after my grandpa\u2019s generation, who will participate in the activity in the next generation? My uncle hears my question and answers \u201cThere will be a gap between the generations and the pilgrims who follow Mazu to Shin Kang will decrease in the future for people have no time to attend the activity.\u201d And he continues \u201chowever, pilgrims attend the activity in another way, wherever Mazu passed, the locals celebrate and greet Mazu in their best. From the county to another county, the number of the local in the counties attends the activity increases on the way.\u201d It seems that the mode of human living changes but the piety of the Muzu pilgrims are unchangeable. Then my grandpa adds \u201cI found that more and more young people attended the Mazu pilgrimage in recent year. They participated in it for experiencing Taiwan religious culture rather than just praying to Mazu for blessing, it is a good phenomenon.\u201d The talking shows that they don\u2019t worry the possibility of the decreasing the number of pilgrims attending the pilgrimage. \u201cWill you make the Mazu pilgrimage one day?\u201d my uncle asks me. \u201cI can\u2019t answer,\u201d for I don\u2019t want to make any promise to Mazu without concern. But I am attracted toward the bright side of humanity that is revealed through the activity. And I think making the pilgrimage is self-challenge for physic and psychology for you can\u2019t sleep well or eat well. I just hope one day I have the opportunity to experience the friendly atmosphere that people help each other.<\/p>\n\n