Mazu Festival in China
2011-5-3 10:30:26 Joycommunications
Mazu, Chinese Goddess of the Sea, also known in different regions as Matsu, Ma-Tsu, A-ma, Tianhou, and other names, with numerous titles that include "Motherly Matriarch", "Kuan Yin of the Southern Sea, Daughter of the Dragon", and "Empress of Heaven". Legend has it that Lin Moniang, a Meizhou islander born in 960, devoted her life rescuing shipwreck victims. Moved by her philanthropic service, her fellow islanders deified her as Angel of the Sea and Holy Mother. In 987 the Temple of Goddess Mazu was built in her memory which sits on Meizhou Island in Putian.
After a millennium, there are already over 1,500 active temples and 100 million devotees to worship the great Godness, to learn to be always mindful of the need for the reconciliation of the opposites in our lives , to know the need for both the masculine and the feminine, kindness and ferocity, the balance of nature and civilization, and above all, the unity of mind, body, and spirit.
There are many Mazu believers in the world, Meizhou, Fujian province, the cradle and hometown of Mazu, has become a "Mecca" for many overseas Chinese and Taiwanese. More than 100,000 Taiwan pilgrims go to Meizhou to pay their homage to Mazu every year. To better carry forward Mazu culture, promote communication between people in Taiwan and mainland China, a cultural festival consecrated to the Goddess Mazu was first held at Meizhou Island in 1987 with the assistance of the Putian Gorvernment and other related units.Later on, Mazu festival holds on April 25th and Oct 4th each year.
As part of the grandiose festival, there is always a prayers' ceremony on the occasion of the opening ceremony. A large-scale theatrical evening party will be put on to extol the spirit of the Goddess of Mazu and the ocean culture. Lantern festival will show the peculiar and grand folk-customs in her hometown and large temple fair epitomizing the essence of folk-culture, folk arts and crafts and cuisine of Putian, Quanzhou, Tianjin, Macao and Taiwan. Also on display, there will be International Mazu Exhibition of Paintings and Calligraphy, Photograph Exhibition of Mazu Cultural Relics and the ceremony celebrating the first issuance of the special postcard "Legend of Mazu". Besides, flying kites, angling and other athletics and recreational events are to be held on the "Golden Beach" of Meizhou Island.