According to legend, the incense bag that he carried with him for spiritual protection began glowing, which the people of Changhua believed that Goddess Mazu had revealed herself miraculously.

In 1815, Nanyao Temple began the tradition of making a pilgrimage to the Yang residence to pay tribute to their origins.

Later, the Yang family fell into financial trouble, so during the pilgrimage, Nanyao Temple would replace the clothes on the statue.

[2][3] The 1906 Meishan earthquake destroyed Tianhou Temple, so the statue was moved to the Yang residence, where the tradition continued.

[1] Towards the end of World War II, the men in the Yang family were drafted by the Imperial Japanese Army and all died in combat.