By Li Xinyi, compiled and reported
The once-every-three-years pilgrimage of the Five Lords of the Mading Tienfu Temple in Tainan began this morning with solemn departure rites held within the temple. Following the ceremony, 155 divine palanquins, performance troupes, and various folk art groups paraded through the surrounding areas of Mading. This year’s event specially collaborated with the GIS Center of Academia Sinica to integrate GIS-based route navigation with the incense routes of various temples, fully documenting the procession paths of the major temples involved in the pilgrimage. The public can visit the dedicated Tainan Pilgrimage Year website for related information.
The Three Lords pilgrimage event at the Mading Tienfu Temple in Tainan kicked off today and will run for three consecutive days. A prize giveaway activity has also been launched on-site to attract public participation. (Photo provided by Tainan City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau)
Officials from the Mading Tienfu Temple stated that the temple enshrines the Five Lords (Li, Chi, Wu, Zhu, and Fan), making it one of Taiwan’s key centers of Lord Worship belief, with followers spread across the nation and abroad. The Mading Pilgrimage—held once every three years and commonly known as “the cutting of incense”—is held to pray for national peace, prosperity, and favorable weather. Running from today through Sunday (the 15th), this grand event features 155 divine palanquins, performance troupes, decorative floats, Songjiang formations, and Golden Lion formations, creating an unprecedentedly magnificent spectacle. The parade stretched over 3–4 kilometers in length, with all groups gathering at the Mading Tienfu Temple at 5 PM each day for a ceremonial three-firecracker start, continuing for three days as they tour through 29 neighborhoods within the Mading District.
Another highlight of this Pilgrimage Year event is the introduction of check-in activities, stamp collection raffles, and photography contests. Stamp collection raffles, organized in collaboration with various temples, offer prizes including washing machines, bicycles, vacuum cleaners, and hotel stay vouchers. For more details, please visit the Pilgrimage Year website.
Tourism Bureau Pilgrimage Year Website: tour.tainan.gov.tw/temple/chinese
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