Mad for Matsu: A Faith-Fueled Walk Across Hundreds of Miles

The Dajia Matsu Pilgrimage is one of Taiwan’s most iconic religious events, touted by the Discovery Channel as one of the world’s three major religious celebrations, alongside the Vatican’s Christmas Mass and Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. The nine-day, eight-night Dajia Matsu Pilgrimage spans 340 kilometers and draws countless devotees and pilgrims each year, creating a breathtaking spectacle of faith and devotion.

LIU Xiaodong journeyed with the Matsu procession for four days and four nights, fully immersing himself in the intensity of this grand religious event, where the crowds were so dense that he “couldn’t even see his own feet.” At Lunzi Bridge, on the border of Yunlin and Chiayi, he personally experienced the immense weight of carrying the sacred palanquin. He described: "The palanquin is incredibly heavy. It was only after setting it down that I truly understood why the carriers all have such thick, calloused shoulders. The heavy burden is borne as a prayer for blessings upon all." Through photography, sketches, watercolors, and diary entries, he documented the vibrant scenes along the pilgrimage route—capturing the devout expressions of believers, the dynamic drum and gong troupes, and the bustling atmosphere thick with smoke and sound. These experiences ultimately culminated in his large-scale oil paintings, Bridge Crossing and Daytime Patrol.

Matsu Pilgrimage on Canvas: Bridge Crossing and Daytime Patrol

Both Bridge Crossing and Day Patrol center on the silhouettes of devoted believers within the pilgrimage procession. In the paintings, young men bearing the divine bamboo palanquin on their shoulders move in sync with the procession, embodying the profound connection between human devotion and sacred faith. Moreover, LIU places young parents walking with their children dressed in urban attire at the center of the composition, as an emphasis that the Matsu pilgrimage transcends the divide between urban and rural communities. Behind them, crowds gather around Matsu’s palanquin, while the winding procession stretches through a landscape of lush farmlands, irrigation canals, high-voltage transmission towers, and tin-roofed houses—scenery emblematic of rural Taiwan. By weaving these details into a cohesive visual narrative, LIU puts together a vivid portrayal of the Matsu Pilgrimage.

In Matsu Pilgrimage, LIU seeks to convey an atmosphere of “kindness," a sentiment that also reflects his artistic philosophy. "The worries and trivialities of life, the unpredictability and frustrations of daily existence—I express them through meticulous brushstrokes, like a knife, carving away these burdens. Through painting, I dissolve these troubles, striving not to depict life’s hardships directly, but to achieve the most perfect harmony with it," he explained. LIU's paintings serve as visual diaries capturing Taiwan’s religious culture through his brush. He transforms sacred experiences into deeply expressive works of art, rich with emotion and meaning.

A Realist’s Perspective: Sketching the World from Life

As one of the most prominent contemporary realist painters, LIU Xiaodong, born in 1963, Liaoning, has long embraced sketching from life as the foundation of his artistic practice. By immersing himself in diverse regions, he captures ordinary people and everyday moments and then infuses his canvases with firsthand observations and deep emotional resonance drawn from the real world. This exhibition not only showcases LIU's profound experience with Taiwan’s Matsu faith but also echoes his ongoing exploration of social culture and the human landscape. ESLITE GALLERY cordially invites you to step into LIU Xiaodong: Dajia Matsu Pilgrimage and experience this extraordinary journey where faith, art, and life intersect.