LIU Xiaodong: Dajia Matsu Pilgrimage: ESLITE GALLERY | Taipei

2024年4月7日

      这几天每天都是后半夜3点后睡。5日晚11点前赶到大甲镇，等待镇澜宫妈祖起驾。整个镇上街道挤成人海，新闻说20万人。

      起驾前各路人马组团聚集镇澜宫前，有的是少女歌舞开道 、有的是狮舞开锣，一众官员信众随后三叩妈祖。妈祖是黑脸木雕，金帘遮面，稳座（轿）中。11点鞭炮齐鸣，礼花映红天际，人头，只能见人头攒动无法看到自己的脚，人挤人，挤出镇澜宫。

2024年4月7日

      這幾天每天都是後半夜3點後睡。 5日晚11點前趕到大甲鎮，等待鎮瀾宮媽祖起駕。整個鎮上街道擠成人海，新聞說20萬人。
      起駕前各路人馬組團聚集鎮瀾宮前，有的是少女歌舞開道 、有的是獅舞開鑼，一眾官員信眾隨後三叩媽祖。媽祖是黑臉木雕，金簾遮面，穩座（轎）中。 11點鞭炮齊鳴，禮花映紅天際，人頭，只能見人頭攢動無法看到自己的腳，人擠人，擠出鎮瀾宮。

April 7, 2024
      These days, I didn't fall asleep until three in the morning. On the 5th, we arrived at Dajia District before 11 p.m. and waited for Matsu to take off from the Jenn Lann Temple. The streets were flooded with people, 200 thousand of them, according to the news.
      Before it began, large crowds gathered in front of the Jenn Lann Temple. Young girls were singing and dancing, leading the procession; there were lion dances and gongs. After those, a group of officials and Matsu's followers kowtowed to her three times. The wooden Matsu statues were firmly seated in the litter, with their dark faces shrouded in golden cloths. At 11 o'clock, fireworks went off, painting the night sky red. When the procession came, we could see nothing but people's heads. It was impossible to even look down at our own feet, and we were carried outside of the temple by the overflow crowds.

图右：台中大甲镇澜宫，2024年4月5日/圖右：台中大甲鎮瀾宮，2024年4月5日/Photo_Jenn Lann Temple. Dajia District, Taichung City. April 5, 2024.

      一路向南，每到街口鞭炮拦路，焰火如泻。是夜1点我们连跑带（跳）抄近路才超越行众、在三公里外的镇边桥上等待妈祖一行。来势汹涌的（打）头阵信众，然后高高转动的凉伞引路，后面是八人抬的妈祖轿，轿不大，金红披挂。过后是更拥挤的信众随行，有大人背小孩、有背上竹亭里面是家中信奉的妈祖像，像宋朝的货郎背囊行走。各地信众风涌而至。

      是夜2点车还不能动窝，3点才回到旅馆。

      一路向南，每到街口鞭炮攔路，焰火如瀉。是夜1點我們連跑帶（跳）抄近路才超越行眾、在三公里外的鎮邊橋上等待媽祖一行。來勢洶湧的（打）頭陣信眾，然後高高轉動的涼傘引路，後面是八人抬的媽祖轎，轎不大，金紅披掛。過後是更擁擠的信眾隨行，有大人背小孩、有背上竹亭裡面是家中信奉的媽祖像，像宋朝的貨郎背囊行走。各地信眾風湧而至。
      是夜2點車還不能動窩，3點才回到旅館。

      The procession headed south, stopped at every crossroads by the glaring fireworks. It was only with running leaps and shortcut-taking that we managed to overtake the marching crowds and get to a bridge on the edge of the district three kilometers away at 1 a.m., waiting for Matsu to come. Heading the procession were devotees of Matsu parading in imposing strides, followed by people who held rotating parasols up in the air. Then came the litter containing Matsu statues carried by eight people. The litter was not that big and draped in gold and red embroidery. After that there were even more crowds. Parents carried their kids on the back. Some carried, in a bamboo basket, Matsu statues that they worshiped at home, much like the travelling salespeople in the Song dynasty. Followers flocked here from all over the world.
      Vehicles could barely move in the heavy traffic, even though it was two in the morning, and we didn't get back to the hotel until three.

图右：绕境队伍行经大甲溪桥，2024年4月6日/圖右：遶境隊伍行經大甲溪橋，2024年4月6日/Photo_The pilgrimage crosses Dajia River Bridge. April 6, 2024.

      6日，下午去大肚乡，在一铁道桥下等待妈祖一行。此地站高望远，可以全景摄取巡游队伍。

      晚上去彰化等待队伍入境此地。入境处是涵洞，早年妈祖入此桥洞都会有彰化人抢轿事件。所以这里总是人山人海等待观事信众。我们吃过晚饭，7点多钟就在洞边卡位等待，站了6个小时直到后半夜2点队伍才来。妈祖轿前轿后都是警察护送，避免抢轿事件。观完回睡已是凌晨5点。

      6日，下午到大肚鄉，在一鐵道橋下等媽祖一行。此地站高望遠鏡，可全景攝取巡遊隊伍。
      晚上去彰化等待隊伍入境此地。入境處是涵洞，早年媽祖入此橋洞都會有彰化人搶轎事件。所以這裡總是人山人海等待觀事信眾。我們吃過晚飯，7點多鐘就在洞邊卡位等待，站了6個小時直到後半夜2點隊伍才來。媽祖轎前轎後都是警察護送，避免搶轎事件。觀完回睡已是凌晨5點。

      On the afternoon of the 6th, we went to Dadu District and awaited Matsu under a railroad bridge, where we could get a bird's-eye view of the entire procession from a high vantage point.
      In the evening, we went to Changhua to see the procession. They would come through the Baguashan Tunnel, where in the early years, the litter had been taken into the mountains. It goes to show why there are always crowds waiting for things to happen here. After dinner, we started our wait by the tunnel at 7 p.m. and stood for six hours straight until two in the morning when the procession finally appeared. The litter was under police escort to prevent people taking it away. When we finished watching and went back to sleep, it was already 5 a.m.

图右：彰化民生地下道，2024年4月6日/圖右：彰化民生地下道，2024年4月6日/Photo_Changhua Minsheng underpass. April 6, 2024.

      今天，7日，中午吃饭，午后驱往土库乡，得知队伍不经此地，我们又绕道至溪州，选一水田弯弯处，等待妈祖。还有时间我画了一张水彩、吃了路边信众给的巴腊。

      傍晚恬静中，妈祖队伍而至，没有前天昨日的拥挤，虽然人多但也闲恬信步于乡间小道。道边是刚出芽的水田和另一边的果树，一派台湾人间善美之景观。
      明天呢，明天我们再去更远的南面追随妈祖。

      今天，7日，中午吃飯，午後驅往土庫鄉，得知隊伍不經此地，我們又繞道至溪州，選一水田彎彎處，等待媽祖。還有時間我畫了一張水彩、吃了路邊信眾給的芭樂。
      傍晚恬靜中，媽祖隊伍而至，沒有前天昨日的擁擠，雖然人多但也閒恬信步於鄉間小徑。道邊是剛出芽的水田和另一邊的果樹，一派台灣人間善美景觀。
      明天呢，明天我們再去更遠的南面跟隨媽祖。

      Today was the 7th. We had lunch and drove to Tuku Township in the afternoon, only to learn that the procession would not pass through there. So we made a detour to Xizhou and waited for Matsu at a bend in the paddy fields. There was plenty of time, so I painted a watercolor and had a guava somebody gave me.
      In the quiet of the evening, the Matsu procession arrived. Although there were still many followers, it was not as crowded as yesterday or the day before. The parade moved along the country lanes in a leisurely manner. On one side of the lanes were sprouting rice, on the other, some fruit trees. What a nice and beautiful piece of land in Taiwan!
      Tomorrow, we'll follow the steps of Matsu and go further south.

图右：彰化溪州乡间小道，2024年4月7日/圖右：彰化溪州鄉間小徑，2024年4月7日/Photo_A country lane in Xizhou, Changhua. April 7, 2024.

2024年4月8日

      午饭后直奔嘉义。从大甲到嘉义边界是座大桥，妈祖正备上桥，我冲到前面拍了不少照片，还荣幸地抬了一段妈祖座驾，座驾很重，下来才知抬轿人为什么都是厚厚肩膀。千斤重担为众人祈福。

      天渐傍晚、妈祖大队进入嘉义，新港奉天宫已经恭候四天四夜了。所经街道擂鼓鞭炮齐鸣，战火般的销烟吞没大街小巷，妈祖和善男信女们在烟中缓行。等待扑地钻轿的信众排队⋯⋯

2024年4月8日
      午飯後直奔嘉義。從大甲到嘉義邊界是座大橋，媽祖正備上橋，我衝到前面拍了不少照片，還榮幸地抬了一段媽祖座駕，座駕很重，下來才知抬轎人為什麼都是厚厚肩膀。千斤重擔為眾人祈福。
      天漸傍晚、媽祖大隊進入嘉義，新港奉天宮已經恭候四天四夜了。所經街道擂鼓鞭炮齊鳴，戰火般的硝煙吞沒大街小巷，媽祖和善男信女們在煙中緩行。等待撲地鑽轎的信眾排隊⋯⋯

April 8, 2024
      After lunch, we headed straight to Chiayi. To go to Chiayi from Dajia, you need to cross a wide bridge. Just as the procession was getting on it, I rushed to the front, took lots of photos, and even had the honor of carrying the litter for some distance. It was very heavy; only after carrying it did I know why litter bearers all had thick shoulders. In carrying the heavy burden, they pray for blessings for all.
      As it was getting late, the procession entered Chiayi, where the Hsin Kang Feng Tian Temple had been waiting for four days and four nights. The procession was met with drum rolls and fireworks in unison alongside their route. Every street and alley was engulfed in smoke, through which Matsu and her devotees, female and male, made their way unhurried. The queue of worshipers waiting to kneel on the ground or crawl underneath the litter stretched...

图右：连接云林县与嘉义县的仑子桥，2024年4月8日/圖右：連接雲林縣與嘉義縣的崙子橋，2024年4月8日/Photo_Lunzi Bridge that connects Yunlin and Chiayi counties. April 8, 2024.

⋯⋯数千米。到了奉天宫又是半夜了。
      从大甲到嘉义信众徒步190公里，用时四天四夜，在奉天宫给妈祖祝寿两日，然后再徒步折返大甲，又是190公里。
      追随妈祖四天四夜，越觉妈祖轿子亲切，虽然人多无法靠近，但常被无形法力牵引，忘记日间烦恼。
      善良台湾，妈祖庇护善男信女，保佑台湾。

⋯⋯數千米。到了奉天宮又是半夜了。
      從大甲到嘉義信眾徒步190公里，用時四天四夜，在奉天宮給媽祖祝壽兩日，然後再徒步折返大甲，又是190公里。
      追隨媽祖四天四夜，越覺媽祖轎子親切，雖然人多無法靠近，但常被無形法力牽引，忘記日間煩惱。
      善良台灣，媽祖庇護善男信女，保佑台灣。

... several kilometers. When the procession arrived at the temple, it was midnight again.
      The devotees covered the distance of 190 kilometers on foot, in four days and four nights. They stopped to celebrate Matsu's birthday at the Feng Tian Temple for two days, before heading back to Dajia, traversing another 190 kilometers.
      Having followed Matsu for 96 hours, I've grown fonder of that litter. Although there were too many people for me to get closer, I constantly felt drawn to an intangible force that made me forget my mundane worries.
      Taiwan, a kind place, houses the goddess Matsu who protects the devout men and women and blesses Taiwan.

图右：嘉义新港奉天宫，2024年4月9日/圖右：嘉義新港奉天宮，2024年4月9日/Photo_Fengtian Temple. Xingang, Chiayi. April 9, 2024.