Abstract
The Mazu pilgrimage group from Baishatun Village was added to the safeguarding list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Taiwan in 2010, transforming a local religious tradition into a publicly shared spiritual property. This paper examines the ritual alteration of this pilgrimage in the heritagization process and its impact on the local community. The first part of this paper introduces the pilgrimage and its ritual features that demonstrate the reasons for listing it as a part of national cultural heritage. Some changes in the ritual practices of this pilgrimage are then reviewed as the consequences of heritagization. These alterations include the devaluation of some territorialized rituals, accommodation of new influences on translocal ritual practices, and creation of innovative meanings attached to the pilgrimage. Finally, an analysis is presented of how the heritagized pilgrimage has affected the local community. The pilgrimage has markedly improved the marginal social status of the community: it brings in a large contribution to the incense money for further development and expansion projects at the temple, and also draws numerous believers and commercial opportunities to the local community. Although local residents do not involve themselves in the official heritage practice, they are encouraged to engage in local activities held by community associations with government financial support. The confident and autonomous engagement of local residents in their pilgrimage and local activities has demonstrated community empowerment under state cultural governance.