A: Apart from the Thai Water Festival, Taiwan’s three major Matsu pilgrimages are among Asia’s largest annual folk activities.
B: This year, “Baisha-ma” of the Baishatun Gongtian Temple in Miaoli County was the first to kick off her pilgrimage, with the deity departing on April 12 and returning on the 20.
A: Then “Dajia-ma” of the Dajia Jenn Lann Temple in Taichung will set off next, departing tonight before midnight and returning on April 26.
Photo: Liberty Times 照片：自由時報
B: And what about “Beigang-ma” of Yunlin County’s Beigang Chao-tian Temple? When will she launch her procession?
A: Typically, “Beigang-ma” begins her procession on the eve of her lunar birthday on March 23 — which will actually fall on May 9 this year.
A: 除了泰國潑水節以外，台灣每年的三大媽祖遶境，也算是亞洲最盛大的民俗活動！
B: 今年苗栗縣「白沙屯拱天宮」的白沙媽已起跑，4月12日起駕、20日回鑾。
A: 接著是台中市「大甲鎮瀾宮」的大甲媽將登場，今晚起駕、4月26日回鑾。
B: 那雲林縣「北港朝天宮」的北港媽何時出巡呢？
A: 北港媽通常在每年農曆3月23日媽祖誕辰、也就是今年國曆5月9日的前夕才會出巡。
（By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
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