Bai Sha Tun's Mazu Pilgrimage in Taiwan: Can the Temple Keep Up with the Growing Crowds?

The Gongtian Temple faces another year of miscalculation as the White Sand Tun Mazu Pilgrimage attracts record numbers of pilgrims.

The annual pilgrimage to Beigang led by the Bai Sha Tun Mazu in Taiwan continues to draw immense crowds. The number of followers participating in the walking pilgrimage has broken records year after year, causing quite a challenge for the organizers at the Gongtian Temple.

Last year, the temple prepared approximately 135,000 pilgrim vests, but they were short by over 40,000. This year, the temple ordered a whopping 230,000 vests. However, despite this large order, the vests were completely distributed within just seven days of registration opening. Yesterday, the total number of registered pilgrims, including those arriving by bus, exceeded 240,000. This has left many wondering, "Just how many people will ultimately participate this year?" The temple is understandably hesitant to make any further predictions.

Due to the Ching Ming Festival, the Gongtian Temple suspended registration for one day. Registration will resume tomorrow, April 5th. Following the surge in registration last year, which saw 179,971 people joining the pilgrimage, the Gongtian Temple's management committee made a "bold" prediction and ordered 230,000 vests, an increase of 100,000 from the previous year. Despite this, the temple still underestimated the demand. The temple quickly announced on its official website that they were out of vests. However, pilgrims can still receive pilgrimage hats, towels, and armbands. Without a vest, the registration fee has been reduced from 700 NTD to 500 NTD.