TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Dajia Jenn Lann Temple’s Matsu procession began Friday night in Taichung, attracting an estimated 600,000 worshippers during the Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday weekend.

The Dajia Matsu pilgrimage is one of Taiwan's largest and most popular religious events. The procession represents the deity Matsu's visit to the human world.

Temples from across Taiwan participate, offering performances to honor Matsu. To ensure safety and manage traffic, the Taichung City Police Department deployed 1,274 officers in coordination with local precincts, per CNA.

Matsu’s journey will span nine days and eight nights, covering 340 km through Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, and Chiayi. A major Matsu birthday ceremony is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday at Chiayi’s Xingang Fengtian Temple, before the procession returns to Dajia on April 13.

To reduce the environmental impact, procession groups have used eco-friendly firecrackers. Eco-friendly firecrackers produce a sound like traditional firecrackers by combining oxygen and gas, using little gas, and creating no sparks, air pollution, or debris.

First seen as a protector of those at sea, Matsu is now believed to possess abilities such as aiding in warfare, restoring peace, preventing plagues, controlling pests, bringing rain, healing illnesses, and providing disaster relief. Devotees believe that her procession offers protection to the people in the areas she passes through.