Yuntech USR Team Participates in Beigang Mazu Pilgrimage for the Third Consecutive Year

“Sacred Realm Between Sea and Sky: Elegant Melodies of Nanguan” Wins the Golden Lion Award at Beigang Chaotian Temple

The USR team from the Intelligent Regional Design Service Research Center at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology (Yuntech) once again participated in the nationally designated folk tradition, the Beigang Chaotian Temple Mazu Pilgrimage, in 2026. From May 5 to May 9, the team joined the pilgrimage procession with its live-action artistic float performance, marking the third consecutive year of participation in this major local religious celebration.

This year, Yuntech entered the Beigang Chaotian Temple Artistic Float Competition for the first time. Under the theme “Sacred Realm Between Sea and Sky: Elegant Melodies of Nanguan,” the team integrated imagery from Mazu faith, traditional Nanguan music, and live-action artistic float performance into its presentation. The project was awarded Third Prize, receiving the prestigious “Golden Lion Award,” and became one of the highlights of this year’s Beigang Mazu festivities.

Known locally as the “Little Lunar New Year of Beigang,” the Beigang Chaotian Temple Mazu Pilgrimage attracts large crowds every year during the third lunar month. In addition to the six major Mazu palanquin processions, elaborately decorated live-action artistic floats traveling through the streets have become one of the festival’s most anticipated attractions for residents and visitors alike.

The artistic float created by the Yuntech USR team centered on the compassionate image of Mazu guiding and protecting people across the seas. Through carefully crafted stage scenery, live character portrayals, and coordinated costume and visual design, the float presented an atmosphere of elegance and cultural refinement amid the lively and vibrant temple festival environment. Wherever the float traveled, it drew large crowds of spectators who gathered to photograph, film, and interact with the performers, making it one of the standout attractions of the procession.

Another distinctive feature of this year’s presentation was the incorporation of live Nanguan music. During the artistic float competition on the evening of May 8, students performed Nanguan music on-site under the guidance of Master Su Ren-Yi from the Beigang Fenya Zhai Nanguan Ensemble. The soft and graceful melodies of traditional string and wind instruments complemented the artistic imagery of the float. Blending with the rhythmic sounds of temple percussion, the music created a rich auditory experience while adding a sense of classical elegance to the solemn atmosphere of Mazu worship. The performance received positive recognition from both the audience and the judges.

For this year’s float production, the team once again collaborated with Master Yan San-Tai, a recognized preserver of Yunlin County’s cultural heritage art of artistic float craftsmanship. Through hands-on participation, Yuntech faculty and students gained a deeper understanding of the craftsmanship and cultural significance embedded in Beigang’s artistic float traditions. Character styling, themed around Mazu and celestial maidens, was jointly designed by Professor Ma Hui-Chun and students from the Department of Hair Styling and Design at Hungkuang University, further enhancing the visual presentation and symbolic imagery of the performance.

During the pilgrimage, the Yuntech USR team also distributed commemorative gifts prepared jointly by faculty, students, and collaborating organizations. The gifts attracted enthusiastic participation from the public and fostered lively interactions along the procession route, demonstrating the university’s active engagement with local culture and community participation.

Professor Huang Shih-Hui, project director of the initiative, noted that the Beigang Mazu Pilgrimage is not only an important local folk tradition but also a continuously evolving cultural space. Through participation in the artistic float procession, students are able to engage directly with local religious practices and community interactions, gaining insight into how local culture is formed and sustained while reflecting on how design can respond to culture and connect with society. This, he emphasized, represents the core value of University Social Responsibility (USR) in practice.

Professor Tsai Wang-Chin, curator of the artistic float project, explained that while live-action artistic floats are often associated with lively and extravagant visual impressions, they also embody profound layers of craftsmanship and cultural meaning. By featuring Nanguan music as a central theme this year, the team hoped to introduce a more restrained and refined musical language into the dynamic atmosphere of traditional temple festivals. In doing so, the project sought to present a more elegant and delicate cultural dimension of artistic floats, while further expanding the possibilities of their artistic expression.

Yuntech is currently implementing the Ministry of Education’s Fourth-Phase University Social Responsibility (USR) Project (2025–2027), titled “From Spiritual Pilgrimage to Smart Tourism: Local Design for the Yunlin Pilgrimage Corridor.” With Beigang serving as a key site for practical engagement, the university continues to deepen collaborative learning and co-creation with local communities through initiatives such as religious culture research, reinterpretation of local crafts, pilgrimage route development, and participation in cultural festivals. These efforts aim to sustain cultural heritage while generating new local momentum through active youth participation.

At the 2026 Beigang Chaotian Temple Artistic Float Competition, Yuntech received Third Prize and the “Golden Lion Award.”

The statue of Mazu together with Yuntech’s celestial maiden performers.
(Photo courtesy of Beigang Chaotian Temple)

International exchange students from Yuntech participated in and experienced the local folk tradition through the artistic float procession.

Hair and makeup styling for this year’s performance was guided by Professor Ma Hui-Chun from the Department of Hair Styling and Design at Hungkuang University.

Students from Yuntech’s Chinese Music Club performed Nanguan music under the guidance of Master Su Ren-Yi from the Fenya Zhai Nanguan Ensemble.

Organizing Unit: Intelligent Regional Design Service Research Center
Director: Professor Huang Shih-Hui
Contact Person: Hsu Chia-Chuan
Tel: +886-5-534-2601 ext. 2870

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