Mazu is the protector of the sea worshipped by the southeastern coast of China and overseas Chinese. Mazu is also known as the Heavenly Concubine, the Queen of Heaven, the Heavenly Concubine Niangniang, the Heavenly Virgin, etc. The image of Mazu is wearing a crown, wearing a xia veil, holding a wish, its divine power is prominent, graceful and dignified.
According to legend, Mazu was born in the family of Shi Eun, and was the twenty-second granddaughter of Wang Linlu of Jin'an County in the Jin Dynasty of Fujian, and was a famous local family. Mazu's father inspected Lin Yuan, and his mother Wang, both of them did a lot of good deeds and accumulated virtues. One night, Wang dreamed that Master Guanyin kindly said to her, "Your family has done good deeds and accumulated virtues, and today I will give you a pill, and you will receive the gift of Tzu Chi after taking it." So, Wang became pregnant. Mazu was born until the full moon and did not cry, so her father named her "Mo". Lin Mo studied in a private school at the age of eight and liked to burn incense to worship the Buddha. At the age of thirteen, he learned the secret method of the Taoist canon. At the age of sixteen, he was able to cross the sea and save people. Ascending to immortality at the age of twenty-nine, people should witness this miracle and build a temple for Mazu to worship.
Another theory is: Mazu was originally an ordinary folk girl named Lin Mo in Meizhou Bay, Putian, Fujian, who usually engaged in some witchcraft activities. It is said that she is particularly good at water, and she will come to the rescue whenever a boat is in distress in the local area. In addition, she could also watch the sky, could predict the weather at sea, and often helped the boat owners who went to sea, so the local boat owners were very grateful to her, and at the age of 28, she was supposed to save people who were shipwrecked at sea, and people built a temple for her to commemorate her.
The main miracle of Mazu is the relief of people who are shipwrecked at sea. It is rumored that Mazu has clairvoyance and ears for the wind, and can save people from thousands of miles away. Mazu often wears vermilion clothes and travels between the islands. If the sea breeze rises suddenly and the ship is shipwrecked, as long as the holy name of Mazu is recited, Mazu will come to the rescue. (According to legend, calling Mazu's nickname "Mo Niang", Mazu will appear sooner.) ）
Mazu is a great messenger of navigation. She often points the way for ships that are lost at sea.
Legend has it that when Zheng He went to the Western Ocean, Zheng He's fleet was subjected to a storm at sea, and the waves kept lifting the big ship, and it was about to be overturned by the huge waves, which was very dangerous. Braving the heavy rain and wind, Zheng He and all the crew knelt on the deck and prayed for the blessing of the goddess of the heavenly concubine. Zheng He prayed loudly: "He and other envoys to foreign countries, suddenly encounter the danger of storms and waves at sea, personal safety is not a pity, I am afraid that I will not be able to repay the Son of Heaven." The lives of more than 100 members of the mission hung on a thread, praying for the salvation of the goddess of heaven. As soon as the prayer was over, the crew seemed to see a beautiful goddess of the celestial concubine standing at the top of the mast, and the sea immediately became calm, and everyone turned around and arrived smoothly. After Zheng He returned, in order to thank the concubine Mazu for saving her life at sea, he went to the Tianfei Mazu Temple on Meizhou Island in Putian to pay tribute and expand the Mazu temple.
Mazu Temple. Meizhou Mazu Temple", located in Meizhou Island, Putian City, Fujian Province, was built in the fourth year of Yongxi in the Northern Song Dynasty (987). Meizhou Mazu Temple is the first Mazu temple in the world.
Anping opens the Tianhou Temple, located at No. 32, Guosheng Road, Anping District, Tainan City, Taiwan Province, and is dedicated to the "Protector Mazu" who protects Zheng Chenggong.
At present, Mazu beliefs and customs spread to 45 countries around the world, with more than 5,000 Mazu temples and more than 300 million believers, becoming one of the main beliefs and customs in the southeast coast, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
Are there followers of Mazu in the place where you live?