What is Mazu?

Mazu is a sea god centered on the southeast coast of China, including East Asia and other regions. It is a god believed by boatmen, sailors, tourists, businessmen and fishermen in past dynasties.

According to legend, Mazu's real name is Maureen, also known as Mo Niang. She was born on March 23rd, the first year of the Song Dynasty, and died on September 9th, 4th year of Yongxi. Because Lin Moniang saved the world and helped others, she was given a seal by the court, and the coastal people respected her as a sea god and set up a temple for sacrifice.

Mazu belief has gone through 1000 years since it came into being. At first, it was a folk belief, then it became a Taoist belief, and finally it became the object of national sacrifice in past dynasties. From June 5, 2009 to 10, Mazu belief was selected into UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Extended data

Mazu belief and custom can play a vital role in the reconciliation of contemporary cross-strait believers' relations, and the realization of cross-strait religious direct flights is an example.

During the nearly one hundred years from 1895 to 1987, Mazu believers on both sides of the Taiwan Strait hardly communicated in the name of "Mazu". 1979 on new year's day, the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) published a letter to compatriots in Taiwan Province province, and began to advocate the realization of "three links" (postal services, navigation and trade) between the two sides of the strait. From 65438 to 0982, Cai Fuxiong, director of Chaotian Palace in Beigang, Taiwan Province Province, came to Meizhou Island to learn about the reconstruction of Mazu Tempel in Meizhou and the first official exchange between Mazu believers in Taiwan Province Province and Mazu Tempel in Meizhou.

On July 5th, 1988, 80 Mazu believers from Tianhou Palace in Penghu, Taiwan/kloc-0, took a weekend charter flight across the Taiwan Straits and arrived in Mazu Tempel, Meizhou for pilgrimage.

Starting from 1989, direct religious flights at sea on the grounds of worshipping Mazu finally began to become a reality, which is a great achievement of Mazu's belief and custom. "Direct religious service" is a "special service of direct religious service" for religious believers in Taiwan Province province to travel to Meizhou, Fujian Province by means of "mini three links".

Baidu Encyclopedia-Mazu