Tainan City's pilgrimage procession "Back to Baijiao (學甲上白礁)" has been registered as an important folk custom after being evaluated and approved by the Ministry of Culture's Folklore Review Committee (民俗審議會). As of September 2022, a total of 22 national-level folk customs have been recognized by the ministry.
"Back to Baijiao" is a significant festival that is typically held in Tainan's Syuejia District. It reflects the cultural connotation of the religious group and is also part of the Tainan Temple Festival Year. During the Qing dynasty, people living in the Syuejia District often returned to their hometown in Quanzhou, Fujian, China, to pay respects to their ancestors at the White reef Tzu Chi Temple (白礁慈濟宮) on March 11 of the lunar calendar before the birthday of Baosheng Dadi (保生大帝), a deity of medicine worshiped in Chinese folk religion and Taoism.
During the Japanese Occupation, the venue where the festival was held gradually changed to the area (by Jiangjun River) where the inhabitants first arrived in Tainan due to the travel restrictions between Taiwan and China. The festival not only witnesses the history of Quanzhou immigration, but also embodies the Chinese proverb: "when you drink water, think of its source," demonstrating its great significance and high cultural representation.
Under the historical and social changes, the descendants of Quanzhou immigrants and Tzu-chi Temple believers still continue to jointly organize and participate in the annual festival as well as the pilgrimage which is held every four years, showcasing local identity and cultural vitality.
MOC stated that the ministry will continue to adhere to the mission of protecting and passing on Taiwan's important intangible cultural heritage under the provision of article 92 of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act (文化資產保存法), as well as organize and carry out several works on preservation and maintenance, in hopes that Taiwan's folk cultures will continue to be passed on while highlighting the value of the nation's multicultural heritage.