Sacred Journey: The Pilgrimage of Mazu in Taiwan’s Religious

Photographer

Lai Hung Tse

Category

Editorial Photography - Culture

Company

Lai photography

Submission Group

Professional

Year

2025

Country / Region:

Taiwan

This photo series documents the vibrant pilgrimage of Mazu, Taiwan’s revered sea goddess. Scenes include devotees crawling under her palanquin for blessings, colorful smoke at departure, solemn prayers during passage, and processional footwork through exploding firecrackers—a practice known locally as “eating the fire.” When Mazu’s palanquin pauses at temples, worshippers gather in reverence. These images capture not only ritual intensity but also the spiritual devotion and collective memory that define this faith tradition.

Credits

More Gold Winners
Student
2025

Photographer / Company

Hanying Chen

Category

People Photography - Religious

Country / Region

China

Professional
2025

Photographer / Company

Ta-Chun Lo

Category

Editorial Photography - Culture

Country / Region

Taiwan

Professional
2025

Photographer / Company

Bert Entwistle

Category

Black & White Photography - Sports

Country / Region

United States

Professional
2025

Photographer / Company

Mark Gray

Category

Nature Photography - Natural Art

Country / Region

Australia