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

Photographer

Lai Hung Tse

Category

People Photography - Religious

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
Professional
2025

Photographer / Company

Lai HUNG tSE

Category

Minimalist Photography - Cultural Expressions

Country / Region

Taiwan

Professional
2025

Photographer / Company

Mark Gray

Category

Minimalist Photography - Fine Art

Country / Region

Australia

Amateur
2025

Photographer / Company

Ondrej Blaho

Category

People Photography - Portrait

Country / Region

Czech Republic

Amateur
2025

Photographer / Company

Leslie Robins

Category

Minimalist Photography - Abstracts

Country / Region

United States