Mazu and Mazu Culture 妈祖和妈祖文化

The world-famous sea goddess Mazu (actual name Lin Mo 林默) was born in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), and unfortunately she died an early death on the Meizhou Island at the age of 28. After her death, she was offered “Heavenly Concubine天妃,” “Heavenly Empress天后”,”Holy Mother on Heaven天上圣母” by the succeeding imperial courts. Meizhou Island became the center of worshipping Mazu (959-987). With the people migrating abroad, people spread Mazu culture there. Later Meizhou Island has been reputed as “Oriental Mecca.”

During her lifetime, Lin offered medical services to fellow islanders. With her natural born weather forecasting ability, Lin saved the lives of many fishermen from the menace of typhoons. Touched by her kindness and good deeds, the local people greatly respected her and eventually deified her as the Goddess of the Sea and the Holy Mother who could bring them blessings. Locals built a temple at Meizhou Island soon after her death to offer sacrifices to her. As time went by, thousands of similar temples were built all over the world where there are Chinese communities. Mazu has in time become one of the symbols of the Chinese nation. On her birthday which falls on the 23th day of the third lunar month, and the anniversary of her death on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. Thousands of pilgrims, many of them from Taiwan, come to pay homage to the goddess at the Temple of Mazu. Ocean-going Chinese bring her statue when traveling and they build temples for her wherever they settle down. In Macao, scholars believe that fishermen built the Temple of A-Ma centuries ago in honour of the Goddess A- Ma (Goddess Mazu), the protector of seafarers and fishermen. The Portuguese called the area “A-ma-ago” or “Bay of A-Ma,” which was eventually shortened to the present Macao. The temples have expansive courtyards and various shrines and altars where prayers, incense and offerings are made to the various deities under the rule of Mazu imploring their divine beneficence. Joss sticks and hanging coils of incense perfume the air at the temples. In Taiwan, at least 900 Mazu temples have reportedly been built, and worshipped regularly over the past few centuries. The Mazu Goddess perfectly embodies such precious Chinese virtues as courage, diligence, intelligence, selfishness, kindness, love of peace and devotion to society. For centuries, Mazu culture has been a spiritual bond for Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

For over 1,000 years, she has been living, with a composed and tender smile, in the hearts of the people. The people pay homage to her, respectfully calling her dairy, the daughter of dragon, goddess, the mother or Mazu (a title of respect for an aged woman); rulers of past dynasties upheld her and the times have bestowed her a series of loveable and respected names such as “Goddess of the Sea 海上圣女，” “Goddess of the Straits海峡圣女，”and “Goddess of Peace of the Straits海峡和平圣女.” She is none other than the world-renowned Mazu, Goddess of the Sea, of the Sea, of Fujian,China.

The respect for Mazu has turned into a widespread belief with the passage of time. Following the footprints of sea merchants and overseas Chinese, Mazu went out of Putian, out of Fujian and even out of China, making her presence in many corners of Asia, America, Australia and Europe. Consequently, over 4,000 Mazu temples are found all over the world, where Mazu from Meizhou are consecrated. The belief in Mazu has become a sort of transactional folk belief with more than 200 million worshippers. However, different from a religion in the ordinary sense, it involves something more than a belief. It is a special kind of ideology connected with many branches of learning, such as anthropology, religion, folklore, sociology as well as the history of sea communication, overseas Chinese, culture and the development of Fujian and Taiwan. This is the culture of Mazu, which has aroused an extensive interest and great attention of Chinese and overseas scholars and if now under in-depth research. It is an integral part of the culture of the Chinese nation and a part of the brilliant civilization of China.

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