Virtual Reality Madam Mazu: Personalized Onboard Guided Tours for a Hassle-Free Experience

Written/Compiled and Reported by Chen Guanxin

The 2012 Taichung Mazu International Tourism and Culture Festival Series — Mazu Culture Expo, will take place from March 23 to April 29 at the Taichung Cultural and Creative Industries Park. In addition to bringing together eight major temples in Taichung City to join in the celebration, the expo offers visitors a lifelike virtual reality animation experience of the Mazu procession. It also opens registration on the 23rd for the “Mazu Faith and Culture Special Bus,” where onboard guides will lead participants to visit the expo and historic Mazu temples.

The Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage is one of the world’s three major religious events. This year’s Mazu Culture Expo brings together eight major temples in Taichung City for the first time: Dajia Tianhou Temple, Wuchi Haotian Temple, Fengyuan Ciji Temple, Shekou Wanxing Temple, Hanxi Lecheng Temple, Nantun Wanhe Temple, Dadu Wanxing Temple, and Xinshe Jiuzhuang Mazu. The event features four main themes: “Two Centuries of Temple Grandeur,” “Creative Processions with New Flair,” “Five Senses Experiencing Mazu,” and “New Imagery of Mazu Culture.” Among them, the “Five Senses Experiencing Mazu” utilizes interactive multimedia tech installations and virtual reality animations to let visitors experience the Mazu pilgrimage as if they were there in person.

Registration for the “Mazu Faith and Culture Special Bus” opens at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 23. Starting Saturday, March 24, buses will primarily run on Saturdays and Sundays, supplemented by weekday services. A total of six routes and 30 trips are planned, offering 1,200 spots. Onboard guides will introduce the expo and six Mazu temples with histories of over 200 years, including Wuchi Haotian Temple, Dajia Tianhou Temple, Nantun Wanhe Temple, Hanxi Lecheng Temple, Fengyuan Ciji Temple, and Shekou Wanxing Temple. The activity is completely free. Registration can be done via phone, fax, or online. For details, visit the event website mazubus.35map.com or the Taichung City Government Cultural Affairs Bureau website www.culture.taichung.gov.tw. For inquiries, call 04-2535-2017 or 04-2534-4471.

In addition, the large-scale TV gala “The Light of Mazu • Illuminating the World” will be held tomorrow evening (22nd) at 7 p.m. at the Dajia Stadium in Taichung City, gathering nearly 6,000 Tianhou Temples from around the world in Dajia. The gala will be hosted by Jimmy Wu and feature performances by cross-strait celebrities such as Show Lo, Ella, A-Lin, Wang Feng, and MIC boy band. The public is welcome to attend the event for free.

● Read more: Donggang King Welcome Special Exhibition — Pure Gold Dragon Robe Appears at Taichung National Science and Technology Museum

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