[Edit this paragraph] Become a God
Because Mo Niang was kind to the people before her death, she was honored as the goddess of the sea by the coastal people after she ascended to heaven, and a temple was set up for sacrifice. Later, she appeared repeatedly at sea, and all the people who crossed the sea prayed for her. She is honored as the "psychic goddess", and temples are all over Haidian. Mazu belief has gone through 1000 years since its birth. As a folk belief, it has a long duration, a wide spread and a deep influence, which other folk worship does not have. The worship and praise of Mazu by emperors in past dynasties has promoted Mazu from a folk god to an official patron saint of navigation, with a higher and higher godhead and wider spread. From Puyi area to all corners of the country, it has reached the point where no one knows and no one can replace it.
Before the Song Dynasty, Mazu's enlightenment began when he went to Korea in the fourth year of Xuanhe in the Northern Song Dynasty (1 122). The temple was built at the mouth of the river, and (Hui Zong) gave it to Shunji Temple. "Later, the reason for sealing Mazu in the Song Dynasty was' the fog hunger in spring' and' the sacred fire helped burn the bandits' (Volume II, title of Meizhou Island Records).
From the 26th year of Song Gaozong (1 156) to the Qing Dynasty, emperors of past dynasties were conferred titles 36 times, and the title increased from 2 words to 64 words. By the "Lady" and "Princess", Tian Fei was conferred the title of "Tianhou" by Ming Yongle, whose capital was built and whose temple was built, and in the 23rd year of Qing Emperor Kangxi (1648). And included in the national sacrificial ceremony, for the spring and autumn festival. Therefore, the folk belief in Mazu has become more and more fixed, and the status of "Poseidon" has become more and more stable.
For thousands of years, Putian has preserved many folk customs about Mazu, reflecting the particularity of Mazu belief. His belief in manners and customs, Mazu's words and deeds, personality and so on were gradually absorbed by the people, forming many customs.
[Edit this paragraph] Mazu's position
Mazu received 36 national ceremonies in Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The longest title was "Protecting the country and the people, being smart and bright, responding to the true feelings of Hong Ren's Puji, showing God's praise and compassion, An Lan Li, Qin, preaching, celebrating Jingyang's Xi Ankang, and Zhou Baotai's inspiring Wusui's heavenly mother". Later, he was treated together for eleven years (188).
Macao is the abbreviation of Mazu.
Mazu belief is very common in Taiwan Province province, and more than one third of Taiwan Province compatriots believe in Mazu. There are 5 10 Mazu Tempel in Taiwan Province province, including 1 16 in Tainan. They have many names, some of which are Tianfei Palace, Tianhou Palace and Mazu Tempel. Some are called Tianhou Palace, Tianhou Palace and Notre Dame altar; Others are called Wenyuantang, Chaotian Palace, Shuangcige, An Lan Hall, Zhongxing Palace Cuo, Fenyang Hall and Tibiao Pavilion. Lin's relatives in Fujian, Taiwan Province, Guangdong and Southeast Asia all call Mazu "Gu", "Gu" and "Tian Xian". According to statistics, Mazu is one of the three major religious beliefs in the world.
[Edit this paragraph] Faith exchange
Mazu, as a folk god of praying and protecting the sea, has been circulating for more than 1000 years since Song, Jingyuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. There are Mazu Tempel in temples dedicated to Mazu in coastal provinces and cities of China, and there are also in other provinces in the mainland besides Bohai, Xinjiang and Tibet. The Integration of Mazu Palace and Temple contains the records of articulated Mazu Tempel in more than 500 counties and cities in 30 provinces and cities (including Hong Kong and Macao). With the development of navigation and transportation in Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, China people have traveled all over the world, including Japan, Southeast Asia, Canada, the United States and even Paris.
international exchange
The ancient Ryukyu Tianhou Palace. According to documents, it was introduced to Ryukyu in the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty in14th century (1368 ~ 1398). There are three places in Mazu Tempel of Ryukyu, namely Tianfei Palace in Kumi Village, Tianfei Palace in Naha and Tianhou Palace in Kumi Island.
Poseidon traveled to Japan. China and Japan have a long history.
There are three Datang temples in Nagasaki, Japan-Nanjing Temple, Zhangzhou Temple and Fuzhou Temple. The biggest feature of Mazu Hall in Nagasaki, Japan is that the merchant "Chamber of Commerce" first built Mazu Hall, and then expanded it into a temple dedicated to Buddha and Mazu, in which Mazu was dedicated. Its purpose is to pray for prosperous business and peace at sea. At the same time, using the festival activities of praying to God to strengthen unity with Japan has had a far-reaching impact on Japanese folklore. Later, Japanese merchant ships also regarded the shrine of Mazu in China as the protector of ships sailing at sea.
Mazu Belief in Southeast Asia
Mazu belief also spread throughout Southeast Asia with overseas Chinese crossing south. In Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, there are temples dedicated to Mazu. Among them, Malaysia and Singapore are typical. For example, Qingyun Pavilion and Baoshan Pavilion in Malacca, Malaysia, and Guanyin Pavilion (Guangfu Temple) in Penang, Malaysia are all dedicated to Mazu. Mazu is also enshrined in Tianfu Palace in Singapore, Amama Palace in Lincuo Port and Lam Kowloon Hall. Mazu is also enshrined in the halls of geographical associations in Malaysia, Singapore and other places.
Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao exchanges
Most of the folk beliefs in Taiwan Province, Hongkong and Macau come from the southeast coast of China, especially Fujian. Such as Guandi Sheng Jun, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Shimizu, Baosheng and Mazu. Empress Mazu has always been regarded as the patron saint of the sea by fishermen and navigators from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, because it occupies an important position in the eyes of compatriots in Taiwan Province Province and has the most far-reaching influence. Over the past 1000 years, especially since Song Huizong, emperors of all dynasties have admired Mazu, and Mazu belief has spread more widely in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, which complements the Yuan Dynasty's efforts to protect the country and love the people, protect Thailand through water transportation, the Ming Dynasty's Zheng He and Wang Jinghong's voyages to the West, and the Qing Dynasty's Shi Lang's pacification of Taiwan Province Province.
Mazu Tempel, Taiwan Province Province. According to statistics, by the end of 1930, there were 335 Mazu Tempel in Taiwan Province province; 1954 increased to 384; According to the book Origin of Gods in Taiwan Province Province, there are more than 900 temples dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Taiwan Province Province. Mazu temples have different names, including Tianfei Palace, Tianhou Palace, Mazu Tempel, Tianhou Palace, Tianhou Palace, Notre Dame altar, Wenyuantang, Chaotian Palace, Zhenlan Palace, An Lan Hall, Shuangcige and Zhongxing Palace. Mazu has different names because it comes from different places in Chinese mainland, such as Xinghua Ma of Xinghua Army, Wenling Mazu of Quanzhou, Qingxi Ma of Longxi and Yintong Ma of Tongan. In Taiwan Province Province, there are 64 Mazu Tempel in Tainan, followed by 60 in Kaohsiung, 49 in Pingtung Taichung, 48 in Yunlin County and 42 in Changhua County. It can be seen that the logistics department in Mazu Tempel, Taiwan Province has been increasing since the Qing Dynasty, and its scale has become increasingly spectacular after several constructions.
At present, the "Bid Pavilion" in Magong Town, Penghu is the earliest among all Mazu Tempel in Taiwan Province Province. Although there is no record of the founding date of Penghu Mazu Tempel, according to Japanese scholars' research, they were all founded during the Dade period of the Yuan Dynasty (1297 ~ 1307), when a market called "Mazu Miyagi" was opened in front of the temple.
Most of the earlier Mazu Tempel in Taiwan Province Province was separated from Meizhou ancestral temple to Taiwan Province. During the period from Jiaqing to Guangxu in Qing Dynasty (1796 ~ 1908), the maritime trade in Taiwan Province Province was prosperous and the economy developed, and many large-scale Tianhou Palace in Tainan emerged. In recent years, an open-air Mazu statue has been built in Tianhou Temple in southern Zhunan. Up to now, there are 5 10 large Mazu Tempel in Taiwan Province province. In Mazu Tempel, there are four horses, namely, Zhendian Horse, Dianping Horse, Dianping Horse and Meizhou Horse. Except authentic horses, other Mazu statues can be used in the annual birthday parade in turn. Especially in the early days of Mazu Tempel, there was a ceremony of "worshipping from afar" on the birthday, that is, the ceremony of "kneeling three times and knocking nine times" at the Meizhou ancestral temple in Putian. This custom fully shows the profound significance of Taiwan Province compatriots' eternal nostalgia for the mainland.