Chapter 38 Mother God of China - Mazu

Mazu is the ocean protection god enshrined in the southeast coast of China and overseas Chinese.Up to now, she is still the "Mother God" that the vast number of overseas Chinese must worship when they return to seek their roots. The number of believers and the prosperity of incense are shocking. So, who is the historical prototype of Mazu?Why is she so deeply loved by Chinese descendants? According to Taoism, Mazu is a deity who was once conferred by the Taishang Laojun as "Auxiliary Dou Zhaoxiao Pure Lingying Fuji Protecting the Country and Sheltering the People Miaoling Zhaoying Hongren Puji Tianfei".There are records about Mazu from the Northern Song Dynasty.Mazu was originally the daughter of Lin Yuan, the inspector of the capital, called Lin Mo Niang.She was born in the first year of Song Taizu Jianlong (960) and died in the fourth year of Song Taizong Yongxi (987) at the age of 28.

When Lin Mo Niang was born, the room was filled with red light and filled with strange energy.Strangely, she never cried once from birth to full moon, so her family named her "Mo Niang".Lin Mo Niang went to a private school at the age of eight. She liked to burn incense and worship Buddha very much. It is said that she got the "Secret Method of Dao Code" at the age of thirteen.When she was sixteen years old, once, she saw a red light flashing in an ancient well. She went to look into the well and got a magic talisman. From then on, she could stand on the cloth mat and cross the sea to save people.

After her death, people thought that she had been "upgraded", that is, she had become a fairy, and they all prayed to her for blessings, and she answered her prayers very well. Mazu's influence was very great at that time, and the rulers of the Song Dynasty alone granted her imperial titles nine times.Her title was changed from "Madame" to "Concubine" in Guangzong Shaoxi (1190) of the Southern Song Dynasty, "Tianfei" during Yuan Shizu, and "Queen of Heaven" during Emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynasty.By the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty, Mazu's title had accumulated to twenty-eight characters.

The main miracle of Mazu is to relieve the people who died at sea.It is said that Qianliyan and Shunfenger are the attendants of Mazu, who can save people thousands of miles away.Mazu often wears red clothes and walks between the islands on the clouds and fog.If the sea wind blows suddenly and the ship dies, as long as you recite the holy name of Mazu, Mazu will come to rescue.Later, Mazu's functions were further expanded.In addition to saving the shipwreck, he also said that soldiers, farmers, businessmen, soldiers, and doctors "but those who can respect me and call me by my name will respond to the times and make my wishes come true and my plans come true."Therefore, some folks worship Mazu as a concubine.

There are many Mazu temples built along the southeast coast of China, among which the Mazu Temple in Putian, Quanzhou, Fujian is the ancestral home.There are also 74 Mazu temples in Taiwan Province.