As for the origin of the Ilan area's popular marching gods, known locally as daxian wangzai, it's said that Ilan is one Taiwan's major centers for Beiguan music. Whenever temples in the Ilan area held festivals there was intense competition between the troupes to construct an original, first-prize winning festival carriage, and the air of intense but friendly rivalry motivated the creation of Ilan's marching gods.
關於宜蘭地區流行「大仙尪仔」的起源契機，曾有這樣的傳說：宜蘭本是台灣北管樂團的重地，每逢蘭陽地區廟會慶典活動，各軒社樂團莫不絞盡腦汁，設計及創新藝陣以博得頭彩，在「輸人不輸陣」互拚陣頭的良性較勁下，奠定宜蘭地區組裝「大仙尪仔」的原動力。