More than a goddess: the living legacy of Mazu, connecting people and sea
Editor's note:
The United Nations has officially designated 44 Chinese traditions as world cultural heritage. This series examines how each of them defines what it means to be Chinese.
Thousands of people participate in a ceremony on Meizhou Island in Fujian Province on March 29 to launch a monthlong celebration of Mazu’s birthday.
Two special passengers took to the skies from Xiamen in southeast China’s Fujian Province on March 29 aboard Xiamen Airlines flight MF881 to Taiwan.
They were two statues of Mazu, the sea goddess venerated by millions as the guardian of sailors and protector of maritime peace.
Given their size and sacred significance, the statues for a six-day cultural exchange tour in Taiwan were treated as VIPs. A dedicated check-in counter, a private waiting area and even a reinforced red safety belt ensured their journey was both respectful and secure.
Among the flight documents, a boarding pass stood out: It bore the name Lin Mo, the mortal name of Mazu, believed to have been born in AD 960 on Meizhou Island in Fujian.
Renowned for her spiritual gifts and acts of courage, Lin became a beacon of hope for coastal communities. She could predict weather, understand medicine and rescue sailors from deadly storms. Her life ended at only 27 during a rescue attempt, but her legend had just begun.
Two statues of Mazu board the Xiamen Airlines flight for Taiwan on March 29.
Over the centuries, Mazu was elevated from a local heroine to a protector. Chinese emperors bestowed on her grand titles such as the “Heavenly Empress.”
One of her most devoted admirers was the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) navigator Zheng He. Before each of his legendary voyages, he would pay homage to Mazu. In 1431, ahead of his seventh expedition, Zheng ordered the restoration of her temple in Changle, Fujian, and commissioned a stone stele detailing his journeys and the divine protection he credited to the goddess.
Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dyansty even penned an inscription for her temple himself.
Today, these ancient steles still stand, enduring symbols of China’s maritime legacy and its deep-rooted spiritual culture.
In 2009, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization inscribed the Mazu belief system on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, becoming the first Chinese folk faith to receive this recognition.
A Mazu worship ceremony
From Tianjin to Xiamen, and across the oceans to Australia and the United States, more than 10,000 temples in over 50 countries and regions carry her name. On Taiwan Island alone, more than 1,600 temples are dedicated to her, with nearly 70 percent of the population counting themselves among her followers.
The cross-Strait flight was one of many events celebrating Mazu’s birthday on the 23rd day of the third month on the Chinese lunar calendar, which falls on April 20 this year.
Also on March 29, a monthlong celebration honoring the sea goddess kicked off on Meizhou Island. During the launch ceremony, nearly 10,000 devotees gathered to pay tribute to Mazu.
Yu Jianzhong, executive vice president of the China Mazu Cultural Exchange Association, stressed the event’s role in promoting exchanges across the Taiwan Strait and global interactions.
“Mazu culture has always been a bridge between Taiwan and the mainland, deepening our bonds of kinship and tradition,” Yu said. “Additionally, it is also an important part of Chinese culture, helping the world get to know China better and encouraging international cultural exchanges.”
The Mazu ancestral temple on Meizhou Island is believed to be the birthplace of Mazu.
This year also marks the 1,065th anniversary of her birth.
Legend says that on her birthday, sea creatures gather in the waters around Meizhou Island — a phenomenon now known to be linked to seasonal spawning, but still cherished by worshippers as a divine sign. To honor the day, local fishermen voluntarily suspend all fishing, symbolizing their reverence for the sea and the goddess who guards it.
Instead of real seafood, they craft lifelike replicas from flour, an art form that now boasts over 800 designs across 13 categories. These creations include everything from fruits and vegetables to symbolic animals.
Instead of real seafood, local fishermen craft lifelike replicas from flour as offerings.
The festivities also feature grand processions, with Mazu’s statue carried through the streets accompanied by incense, firecrackers, music and elaborate performances.
The devotion isn’t limited to her birthday. Rituals are held throughout the year — during the Lantern Festival and on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, marking the anniversary of her death.
On Meizhou Island, the goddess’s presence is woven into everyday life. Elderly women style their hair into ship-shaped buns. Their red-and-blue attires aren’t just traditional clothing: The blue stands for the sea, and the red for fire, together symbolizing a hope for safe voyages and peaceful returns.
Local women wear traditional red-and-blue clothing to celebrate Mazu’s birthday.
Local women style their hair into ship-shaped buns.
Some women hoping to conceive participate in a ritual called “flower swapping” with Mazu’s statue. Parents pin fragrant sachets obtained from temples to their children’s clothes for protection. Others paste protective Mazu charms on their doors or hang jade pendants engraved with her image around their necks. In some households, parents even entrust their children to the care of the goddess when they leave home.
Mazu isn’t just a goddess. She’s a living legacy, a symbol of peace, protection, unity and the enduring connection between people and the sea.
