The territorial circumventing ceremony for Ma-zu at the Yong-an Temple in Lize Village, Yilan is a fragile and divided inter-village celebration. Outsiders are informed that this is a historical local custom, with many villages coming together to unite at what is revered as the oldest temple in the area. Yet, as we start to analyze the actual process of the ritual and how it is conducted, we find that many paradoxes exist, including different interpretations of meaning and varying motivations in participation. This paper attempts to provide, through the dynamic balance and tension apparent in this case study, a framework by which plausible explanations can be formulated for changes in various ceremonies throughout Taiwan.