Baishatun pilgrimage signups break last year's recordBy Tsai Cheng-min and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writerSignups for this year’s annual Baishatun Matsu pilgrimage, widely recognized as Taiwan's longest religious procession, surpassed 450,000 as of yesterday, breaking last year’s record of more than 329,000, Gongtian Temple chair Hung Wen-hua (洪文華) said. Worshipers attend the beginning of the Baishatun Matsu Pilgrimage in Miaoli County’s Tongsiao Township last year. Matsu is scheduled to return to Gongtian Temple on April 20, with an incense ceremony held the following day. The Tongsiao Township Office said it plans to hold an arts gala at the Gongtian Temple parking lot the night the pilgrimage begins, inviting musicians and artists to perform. Due to the pilgrimage, parking at Baishatun Station would be restricted from Saturday to April 20 and the square in front of the station would be cleared, station officials said.

Source: Taipei Times April 08, 2026 10:24 UTC