77-792: Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong are dedicated to Tin Hau ( Mazu ). Over 100 temples are dedicated (at least partially) to Tin Hau in Hong Kong . A list of these temples can be found below. Famous Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong include: Two temples have a marine parade to celebrate the Tin Hau Festival ( 天后誕 ; Tiānhòudàn ): Tin Hau Temple on Leung Shuen Wan (High Island) and Tin Hau Temple on Tap Mun , which has it once every ten years. The celebration at Tin Hau Temple, Joss House Bay ,
154-414: A beam of bright light. In others, she died protesting an unwanted betrothal. Still another places her death at age 16, saying she drowned after exhausting herself in a failed attempt to find her lost father, underlining her filial piety . Her corpse then washed ashore on Nangan Island , which preserves a gravesite said to be hers. In addition to the legends surrounding her earthly life, Mazu figures in
231-698: A branch temple. The A-Ma Temple on Macao Island is the probable source of its name in Portuguese and English; the historic and protected Tin Hau Temple, Causeway Bay in Hong Kong is the source of the Tin Hau area 's name from the Cantonese pronunciation of one of Mazu's titles, "Empress of Heaven". The Mazu temple in Melbourne is the largest Chinese temple in Australia . A major project to build
308-508: A champion of Chinese folk religion and Mazu has become part of that narrative. In 2011, CCP general secretary Xi Jinping instructed cadres to "make full use" of Mazu for Chinese unification efforts. Temples in Taiwan, especially in rural areas, have been the most prominent targets for influence operations as they are meeting grounds for prominent local figures and financial donations to temples remain unregulated. After her death, Mazu
385-416: A goddess appear above the mast. Dressed in red, she was sitting still in a formal manner. Lu kowtowed and begged for protection. In the midst of the seething sea, the wind and waves calmed down suddenly, so that Lu was saved. After he had returned from Korea, he told his story to everyone. The Gentleman who Guards Righteousness, Li Zhen, a man who had visited (Sheng)dun for a long time, told him everything about
462-464: A hybridization of Chinese and native indigenous culture. The earliest record of her cult is from two centuries later, an 1150 inscription that mentions "she could foretell a man's good and ill luck" and, "after her death, the people erected a temple for her on her home island". The legends around Lin Moniang's life were broadly established by the 12th century. She was said to have been born under
539-490: A minor Fujianese TV series , was a dramatization of Mazu's life as a mortal. Mazu ( 海之傳說媽祖 , 2007) was a Taiwanese animated feature film from the Chinese Cartoon Production Co. depicting her life as a shamaness and goddess. Its production director Teng Chiao admitted the limited appeal to the domestic market: "If young people were our primary target audience, we wouldn't tell the story of Mazu in
616-578: A number of Chinese myths . In one, the demons Qianliyan ("Thousand-Mile Eye") and Shunfeng'er ("Wind-Following Ear") both fell in love with her and she conceded that she would marry the one who defeated her in combat. Using her martial arts skills, however, she subdued them both and, after becoming friends, hired them as her guardian generals. In a book of the Taoist Canon ( 太 上 老君 說 天妃 救 苦 靈 驗 經 ; 太 上 老君 说 天妃 救 苦 灵 验 经 ; Tàishàng Lǎojūn Shuō Tiānfēi Jiùkǔ Língyàn Jīng ),
693-813: A range of antiques from the local community have been donated to the temple. Yuk Hui Temple is administered by the Chinese Temples Committee. The main deity of Yuk Hui Temple is Pak Tai , alternatively known as Yuen Tin Sheung Tai ( 玄天上帝 ), the Supreme Emperor of the Northern Heaven or the Mysterious Heaven. In Taoist mythology, he was once a prince of the Shang dynasty , and then appointed by Jade Emperor to fight
770-663: Is also celebrated, usually on the Double Ninth Festival (the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar). The United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) utilizes Mazu as a tool to advocate for Chinese unification . According to academic Chang Kuei-min of National Taiwan University , the CCP has created a narrative that it is
847-407: Is also why Yuk Hui Temple has been the most popular temple on the island for a long time. The temple is in traditional Chinese style with a roof of detailed green concave tiles, ridges and ceramic figurines. Figures of stone lions can be found all around the architecture and this temple has the most stone lions (4) among Hong Kong temples. The primary entrance leads to the main hall, which holds
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#1732772686312924-610: Is attended annually by upwards of 40,000 to 50,000 people. Another large celebration takes place at the Tai Shu Ha temple in Yuen Long District . In the larger Chinese temples, the statues of two guardian gods may be found on either side of the main altar. In the case of Tin Hau temples, such guards are always the two daemon brothers Chin Lei Ngan ( 千里眼 ; ' Thousand Li Eyes ') and Shun Fung Yi ( 順風耳 ; ' With
1001-437: Is believed that the writings surrounding the bell area will be heard by the gods in heaven. At the main entrance, there are four lively stone sculptures of lions playing a ball game. Two of the lions have balls in their mouths and it is said that unmarried girls who can remove the balls will eventually marry a prince. The two lions on the left side of the entrance are lionesses with a small cub beneath their paws, while those on
1078-676: Is first attested in Huang Gongdu 's c. 1140 poem "On the Shrine of the Smooth Crossing" ( 順 濟 廟 ; 顺 济 庙 ; Shùnjì Miào ), which considered her a menial and misguided shamaness whose continued influence was inexplicable. He notes that her devotees danced and sang together and with their children. Shortly afterwards, Liao Pengfei ( 廖鵬飛 )'s 1150 inscription at the village of Ninghai (now Qiaodou Village ) in Putian
1155-466: Is formally classified as a cult outside of Buddhism and Taoism , although numerous Buddhist, Confucianist and Taoist temples include shrines to her. Her worship is generally permitted but not encouraged, with most surviving temples concentrated around Putian in Fujian. Including the twenty on Meizhou Island, there are more than a hundred in the prefecture and another 70 elsewhere in the province, mostly in
1232-427: Is known of the historical Lin Moniang. She was apparently a shamaness from a small fishing village on Meizhou Island , part of Fujian 's Putian County , in the late 10th century. She probably did not live there, however, but on the nearby mainland. During this era, Fujian was greatly sinicized by influxes of refugees fleeing invasions of northern China and it has been hypothesised that Mazu's cult represented
1309-474: Is that all the men returned safely. Another is that Mazu was praying to Guanyin; another that she was sleeping and assisting her family through her dream. Still another is that the boats were crewed by her four brothers and that she saved three of them, securing their boats together, with the eldest lost owing to the interference of her parents, who mistook her trance for a seizure and woke her. In earlier records, Mazu died unmarried at 27 or 28. (Her celibacy
1386-560: Is the deified form of Lin Moniang ( Chinese : 林 默 娘 ; pinyin : Lín Mòniáng ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Lîm Be̍k-niû / Lîm Bia̍k-niû / Lîm Be̍k-niô͘ ), a shamaness from Fujian who is said to have lived in the late 10th century. After her death, she became revered as a tutelary deity of Chinese seafarers, including fishermen and sailors . Her worship spread throughout China's coastal regions and overseas Chinese communities throughout Southeast Asia , where some Mazuist temples are affiliated with famous Taiwanese temples. Mazu
1463-471: Is worshipped under various other names and titles: Although many of Mazu's temples honor her titles Tianhou and Tianfei, it became customary to never pray to her under those names during an emergency since it was believed that, hearing one of her formal titles, Mazu might feel obligated to groom and dress herself as properly befitting her station before receiving the petition. Prayers invoking her as Mazu were thought to be answered more quickly. Very little
1540-607: The Cheung Chau Bun Festival , which is a Taoist ceremony held annually on Cheung Chau island. The festival takes place on the 8th day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar , which occurs usually in April or May. The festival lasts for seven days. It attracts many tourists and Pak Tai worshipers. The first settlers in Cheung Chau were fishermen from Huizhou , Guangzhou and Chaozhou . They worshiped
1617-615: The Chinese Temples Committee . The interior of the temple can be explored with Google Street View . 22°16′56″N 114°14′00″E / 22.282224°N 114.233253°E / 22.282224; 114.233253 ( Yuk Wong Temple ) Dedicated to the Jade Emperor . Partly dedicated to Tin Hau: altar on the left side of the main altar. Managed by the Chinese Temples Committee . The interior of
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#17327726863121694-700: The Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage and the Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage . In both festivals, pilgrims walk more than 300 kilometers to carry a litter containing statues of the goddess between two temples. Another major festival is that around the Tianhou Temple in Lukang . Depending on the year, Mazu's festival day may fall as early as mid-April or as late as mid-May. The anniversary of her death or supposed ascension into Heaven
1771-587: The French at Tamsui District during the Sino-French War and specially honored the town's temple to her , which had served as General Sun Kaihua 's headquarters during the fighting. When US forces bombed Taiwan during World War II, Mazu was said to intercept bombs and defend the people. Today, Mazuism is practiced in about 1500 temples in 26 countries around the world, mostly in the Sinosphere or
1848-616: The Japanese occupation , a Japanese soldier took away the sword and accounted it as his own. He soon died mysteriously. One of the soldier's friends was afraid that taking the sword was the reason for this, so he decided to return it to the temple. The second states that the iron sword was stolen in the early 1970s. In order to find the sword, villagers used "bwabway" ( 筊杯 ), a tool for seeking divine direction in Chinese folk religion, to ask for Pai Tai's help. According to Pai Tai's direction,
1925-432: The overseas Chinese communities such as that of the predominantly Hokkien Philippines . Of these temples, almost 1000 are on Taiwan , representing a doubling of the 509 temples recorded in 1980 and more than a dozen times the number recorded before 1911. These temples are generally registered as Taoist, although some are considered Buddhist. There are more than 90 Mazu Temples in Hong Kong . In Mainland China , Mazuism
2002-527: The 2nd year of Guangxu reign (1876) of the Qing dynasty . An uncommon feature of the temple is that it is guarded by two Western lions . They replaced the original Chinese lions which had been damaged in the 1960s. Mazu (goddess) Mazu or Matsu is a sea goddess in Chinese folk religion , Chinese Buddhism , Confucianism , and Taoism . She is also known by several other names and titles . Mazu
2079-745: The 4th year of the Tongzhi reign (1865) of the Qing dynasty . 22°12′05″N 114°01′08″E / 22.201395°N 114.018886°E / 22.201395; 114.018886 ( Sai Wan Tin Hau Temple ) Located west of Sai Wan (Western Bay), on the southwestern tip of the island. Built some time before 1929. 22°12′13″N 114°01′59″E / 22.203538°N 114.033151°E / 22.203538; 114.033151 ( Nam Tam Wan Tin Hau Temple ) 22°12′45″N 114°01′40″E / 22.212382°N 114.027852°E / 22.212382; 114.027852 ( Yuk Hui Temple ) Partly dedicated to Tin Hau: altar on
2156-640: The Blessings Revealed by the Princess of Heaven ( traditional Chinese : 天妃 顯 聖 錄 ; simplified Chinese : 天妃 显 圣 录 ; pinyin : Tiānfēi Xiǎnshèng Lù ) collected by her supposed descendants Lin Yaoyu ( 林 堯 俞 ; 林 尧 俞 ; Lín Yáoyú ; fl. 1589 ) and Lin Linchang ( 林 麟 焻 ; Lín Línchàng ; fl. 1670 ) claimed that, while still a girl, she
2233-649: The Demon King during the fall of the dynasty. He triumphed in the combat even though the Demon King conjured out a grey tortoise and a gigantic serpent for help. After this victory, Pak Tai was awarded the title of Yuen Tin Sheung Tai and is worshipped for his power, courage and devotion. The portrays of the tortoise and the snake under his feet symbolize that the good always prevails against the evil The temple also houses Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy), Tai Sui (the Sixty Gods of Time), Tin Hau , The old man under
2310-542: The Dragon'. According to Chinese culture , it is believed to be a sign of good luck if the dragon releases the ball. There are some square stone pillars which carries the message that can be translated as: 'Pi tai will look after Cheung Chau and will bring calm seas and good weather'. Cheung Chau Bun Festival is a traditional Taoist festival that takes place in and around the Yuk Hui Temple on Cheung Chau It
2387-476: The Earl of Snowdon to the temple in 1966. Other antiques include: The building of the grand temple takes into account the spiritual location or ' Feng Shui '. The temple is considered to have good 'Feng Shui' since it is located on the pulse of the dragon, which stretch to the island from Lantau Island nearby, with the sea in front and the mountains of Hong Kong Island protecting from behind). Allegedly, this
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2464-530: The Jade Woman of Marvelous Deeds ( 妙 行 玉 女 ) is a star from the Big Dipper brought to earth by Laojun , the divine form of Laozi , to show his compassion for those who might be lost at sea. She is incarnated as Mazu and swears not only to protect sailors but to oversee all facets of life and death, providing help to anyone who might call upon her. Dressed in red, she shows her divine power. In
2541-467: The Pak Tai statue. There are two smaller halls on each side of the main hall. The images of a white tiger and a blue dragon in the left-side hall and the right-side hall respectively represent power. The two side halls help to improve the temple's 'Feng Shui'. An ancient drum and bell can be seen on the left of the temple's entrance to drive away evil spirits and to attract the attention of the gods. It
2618-463: The Taoist Sea God, Pak Tai, as their patron deity. In 1777, there was a severe outbreak of plague in Cheung Chau. It is said that when a Huizhounese brought a statue of Pak Tai to the island the pestilence miraculously disappeared. In gratitude for Pak Tai's blessing, the residents, led by Mr. Lam Yuk-mo, built Yuk Hui Temple, which was completed in 1783. Another story states that the statue
2695-658: The Xianliang Temple is considered the most sacred place to Mazu, whose supposed death happened on the seashore of Xianliang Harbor. A ceremony attended by pilgrims from different provinces of China and from Taiwan commemorates this legendary event each year in October. The primary temple festival in Mazuism is Lin Moniang's traditional birthday on the 23rd day of the 3rd month of the Chinese lunar calendar. In Taiwan, there are two major pilgrimages made in her honor,
2772-731: The current location since 1967. 22°12′47″N 114°01′39″E / 22.213118°N 114.027491°E / 22.213118; 114.027491 ( Pak She Tin Hau Temple ) Located 100m northwest of the Pak Tai Temple . Situated within the boundary of the Chung Shak Hei Home for the Aged. The temple was probably built around 1767. 22°12′17″N 114°01′38″E / 22.204747°N 114.027131°E / 22.204747; 114.027131 ( Tin Hau Temple, Tai Shek Hau ) Built some time before
2849-496: The early Qing period, repaired in 1838, 1892, 1895, 1946 and 1972. 22°15′17″N 113°51′44″E / 22.254722°N 113.862249°E / 22.254722; 113.862249 ( Tin Hau Temple, Kat Hing Back Street ) Adjacent to Kwan Tai Temple (right side). Built in 1772. 22°17′23″N 113°54′01″E / 22.289633°N 113.900197°E / 22.289633; 113.900197 ( Tin Hau Temple, Sha Lo Wan ) Built in 1919. Located on
2926-662: The empire's southern capital, this was long the largest and highest-status center of Mazuism in China. During the Southern Ming resistance to the Qing , Mazu was credited with helping Koxinga 's army capture Taiwan from the Dutch ; she was later said to have personally aided some of Shi Lang 's men in defeating Liu Guoxuan at Penghu in 1683, ending the independent kingdom of Koxinga's descendants and placing Taiwan under Qing control. The Ming prince Zhu Shugui 's palace
3003-416: The first place since they are not necessarily interested in the ancient legend[;] neither do they have loyalty to made-in-Taiwan productions". Instead, "when you look to global markets, the question that foreign buyers always ask is what can best represent Taiwan". Mazu , with its story about "a magic girl and two cute sidekicks [Mazu's door gods Qianliyan and Shunfeng'er] spiced up with a strong local flavor",
3080-450: The form of a fragrant flash of red light. Guanyin was said to have been especially devoted to Mazu or even to have been incarnated as Mazu; for her part, Mazu was said to have been entranced by a statue of Guanyin at a temple she visited as a child, after which she became an ardent Buddhist. She is now often said to have studied religious literature, mastering Confucius by 8 and the principal Buddhist sutras by 11. The Account of
3157-660: The fourth year of the Xuanhe period of emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty, with the cyclical signs ren yin (1122), the Supervising Secretary Lu Yundi received an order to go on a mission to Korea. On his way through the Eastern Sea, he ran into a hurricane. Of the eight ships, seven were wrecked. Only Lu's ship did not capsize in the turbulent waves. As he prayed ardently to heaven for protection, he saw
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3234-398: The gift of rebirth." When Lu reported on his mission to the court, he memorialized the merciful manifestation of the goddess. He received the order to allow the words "Smooth crossing" to be used on a temple tablet, remit taxes on the temple fields, and make temple offerings at Jiangkou. — Tianfei Xiansheng Lu (early 17th century) about Lu Yundi's encounter with the goddess Mazuism
3311-632: The goddess' divine lantern, which represented the natural phenomena Saint Elmo's fire As Mazuism spread, it began to absorb the cults of other local shamanesses such as the other two of Xianyou 's "Three Princesses" and even some lesser maritime and agricultural gods, including Liu Mian and Zhang the Heavenly Instructor. By the 12th century, she had already become a guardian to the people of Qiaodou when they suffered drought, flood, epidemic, piracy , or brigandage. She protected women during childbirth and assisted with conception . As
3388-485: The iron sword was in the east and would automatically show up soon. Police later found it abandoned in East Kowloon district. A newspaper cutting covering this incident is now reserved in the temple. ). The golden crown worn by the main Pak Tai statue is made of 20-ounce gold and hung with pearls. It was donated by Madam Chung, a worshipper in Cheung Chau island, to commemorate the visit of Princess Margaret and
3465-563: The left of the Ba Kong Temple , which is dedicated to Hung Shing . A wall is connecting the two temples at the front façade. (Viewed from the front, the Tin Hau Temple is on the right) 22°16′37″N 113°56′30″E / 22.277044°N 113.941575°E / 22.277044; 113.941575 ( Tin Hau Temple, Chek Lap Kok New Village ) Built in 1823 at the north east of Chek Lap Kok . The entire temple
3542-456: The list of historic buildings considered for grading. 22°16′48″N 114°13′50″E / 22.28005°N 114.230523°E / 22.28005; 114.230523 ( Tin Hau Temple, Shau Kei Wan ) The original temple, built in 1845, was destroyed by a typhoon in 1872. A new temple was erected in-situ in 1873. Originally situated on a slope with its front part facing the sea. Renovated in 1876, 1902, 1920, 1948 and 2005. Managed by
3619-400: The men from drowning but her mother roused her, causing her to drop her brother into the sea. The father returned and told the other villagers of the miracle; this version of the story is preserved in murals at Fengtin in Fujian. One variant is that her brothers were saved but her father was lost; she then spent three days and nights searching for his body before finding it. Another version
3696-403: The merciful manifestations of the holy princess. Lu said: "In this world, it is only my parents who have always shown endless kindness. Yet, when in the course of my vagrant life I almost arrived at the brink of death, not even my father and mother, in spite of their utmost parental love, could help me, while a divine girl, by simply breathing, was able to reach out to me. That day, I truly received
3773-540: The moon (the God of Matchmaking) and Tu Di Gong (a local earth god). Local residents and the fishing folks around the waters of the island are the major worshippers of the temple. Islanders would come to the temple during various festivals to pray for blessing or to present their gratitude, especially fishermen. They would come to invoke for an auspicious date and a great catch before setting sail and to thank for Pak Tai's blessing after their return. The two busiest times of
3850-647: The patron of the seas, her temples were among the first erected by arriving overseas Chinese , as they gave thanks for their safe passage. Despite his Islamic upbringing, the Ming admiral and explorer Zheng He credited Mazu for protecting one of his journeys, prompting a new title in 1409. He patronized the Mazu temples of Nanjing and prevailed upon the Yongle Emperor to construct the city's Tianfei Palace ; because of its imperial patronage and prominent location in
3927-437: The present generation. In the midst of the rushing waters it happened that, when there was a hurricane, suddenly a divine lantern was seen shining at the masthead, and as soon as that miraculous light appeared the danger was appeased, so that even in the peril of capsizing one felt reassured and that there was no cause for fear. — Admiral Zheng He and his associates (Changle inscription, early 15th century) about witnessing
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#17327726863124004-954: The reign of the Quanzhounese warlord Liu Congxiao ( d . 962), in the Min Kingdom , which eventually developed into the specific date of the 23rd day of the third month of the Chinese lunar calendar in AD 960, the first year of the Song . The late Ming Great Collection of the Three Teachings' Origin and Development and Research into the Divine , however, placed her birth much earlier, in 742. The early sources speak of her as "Miss Lin"; her given name Mo ("Silent One") or Moniang ("the Silent Girl") appeared later. It
4081-407: The right are males with a ball beneath their feet. It is believed that milk is contained in the ball for humans to drink. In the centre of the hall are two stone pillars carved from a solid piece of granite in the shape of dragons. They are imperial dragons as they have five claws on each foot while ordinary ones have only four. A ball can be seen in the dragon's mouth which is known as 'The Pearl of
4158-587: The right side of the main altar. Managed by the Chinese Temples Committee . The interior of the temple can be explored with Google Street View . 22°11′54″N 113°50′49″E / 22.198335°N 113.846852°E / 22.198335; 113.846852 ( Fan Lau Tin Hau Temple ) Built during the early Qing dynasty . Rebuilt in 1820. Repaired in 1820, 1928, 1976. 22°15′01″N 113°52′01″E / 22.25039°N 113.86688°E / 22.25039; 113.86688 ( Yim Tin Tin Hau Temple, Tai O ) Built in 1644, in
4235-595: The settlements along its coast. There are more than 40 temples in Guangdong and Hainan and more than 30 in Zhejiang and Jiangsu , but many historical temples are now treated as museums and operated by local parks or cultural agencies. From the early 2000s, pilgrimages from Taiwan to temples in Fujian have been permitted, particularly to the one in Yongchun , where Taiwan's Xingang Mazu Temple has been allowed to open
4312-493: The sick, and to avert disasters. She was also said to be a rainmaker during times of drought. Mazu's principal legend concerns her saving one or some members of her family when they were caught offshore during a typhoon , usually when she was 16. It appears in several forms. In one, the women at home feared Lin Yuan and his son were lost but Mazu fell into a trance while weaving at her loom . Her spiritual power began to save
4389-493: The surrounding countryside, although she asked owners' permission before gathering any flowers to take home. Although she only started swimming at the relatively late age of 15, she soon excelled at it. She was said to have stood on the shore in red garments to guide fishing boats home, regardless of harsh or dangerous weather. She met a Taoist immortal at a fountain at sixteen and received an amulet or two bronze tablets which she translated or used to exorcize demons , to heal
4466-473: The temple can be explored with Google Street View . 22°17′05″N 114°13′58″E / 22.284858°N 114.232891°E / 22.284858; 114.232891 ( Tin Hau Temple, Shaukeiwan Typhoon Shelter ) Built in 2006. 22°16′53″N 114°13′48″E / 22.281277°N 114.229913°E / 22.281277; 114.229913 ( (Demolished) Hoi Shum Temple, Shau Kei Wan ) (original location) Built in 1845 for
4543-472: The temple during the year are: The iron sword is reputed to be the most significant treasure in Yuk Hui Temple. It was made in the Song dynasty about 800 years ago. Allegedly, it was thrown into the sea by a general at the time of Emperor Bing of Song to calm a great storm. Years later it was dredged up by the local fisherman and presented to the deity. There are two legends about the iron sword's whereabouts worth mentioning: The first recounts that during
4620-402: The wind ear '). Note 1: Unless otherwise noted, typically in italics , Tin Hau is the main deity of the temples listed below. Note 2: A territory-wide grade reassessment of historic buildings is ongoing. The grades listed in the table are based on these updates [1] [2] (8 June 2023). The temples with a "Not listed" status in the table below are not graded and do not appear in
4697-735: The world's tallest Mazu statue at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau in Kudat , Borneo , was officially launched by Sabah . The statue was to be 10 stories high, but was canceled due to protests from Muslims in Sabah and political interference. Informal centers of pilgrimage for Mazu's believers include Meizhou Island, the Zhenlan Temple in Taichung on Taiwan, and Xianliang Temple in Xianliang Harbor, Putian . Together with Meizhou Island,
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#17327726863124774-533: The worship of Tin Hau. It was demolished in the 1980s when the Typhoon shelter was reclaimed . Some of the temple pillars and footing stones are now preserved in the Shau Kei Wan Shing Wong Temple. 22°15′40″N 114°14′04″E / 22.261195°N 114.234392°E / 22.261195; 114.234392 ( Tin Hau Temple, Chai Wan ) 22°15′50″N 114°14′44″E / 22.263924°N 114.245608°E / 22.263924; 114.245608 ( Tin Hau Temple, Lok Kang Po ) At
4851-601: Was built of granite quarried on the island. Repaired in 1978. Dismantled in 1991 because of the construction of the new airport , and rebuilt in 1994 at its present location. 22°17′57″N 113°58′38″E / 22.299136°N 113.977151°E / 22.299136; 113.977151 ( Tin Hau Tai Wong Temple, Tai Ho Wan ) Unknown location, possibly at Discovery Bay 22°17′27″N 114°01′08″E / 22.290885°N 114.018838°E / 22.290885; 114.018838 ( Nim Shue Wan Tin Hau Temple ) Built in 1920. The statue of Tin Hau
4928-458: Was converted into Tainan 's Grand Matsu Temple , the first to bear her new title of "Heavenly Empress". In late imperial China, sailors often carried effigies of Mazu to ensure safe crossings. Some boats still carry small shrines on their bows. Mazu charms are also used as medicine, including as salves for blistered feet. As late as the 19th century, the Qing government officially credited her divine intervention with their 1884 victory over
5005-485: Was discovered by a fisherman, instead of being brought to the island by the Huizhouese. In its early days, the temple was voluntarily managed and renovated by local residents. Then in 1929, the Chinese Temples Committee began to administer the temple. There have been several major renovations over the centuries, notably in 1822, 1838, 1858, 1903–1904, and 1989. The latest one was started in 1999 and finished in 2003, which cost ( HKD )$ 13 million. Since its establishment,
5082-430: Was helpful and popular within their village. Late legends intended to justify Mazu's presence in Buddhist temples held that her parents had prayed to Guanyin for a son but received yet another daughter. In one version, her mother dreamt of Guanyin giving her a magical pill to induce pregnancy and woke to find the pill still in her hand; rather than being born in the conventional way, Mazu shot from her mother at birth in
5159-415: Was instead designed with an intent to appeal to international markets interested in Taiwan. Yuk Hui Temple Yuk Hui Temple ( Chinese : 玉虛宮 ) also known as Pak Tai Temple ( 北帝廟 ), is a Taoist temple located on the island of Cheung Chau , Hong Kong . The temple address is Pak She Street, Tung Wan, Cheung Chau. The temple is listed as a Grade I historic building . It is most famous for
5236-427: Was miraculously saved during a storm the year before while on an official mission to pay respects to the court of Goryeo upon the death of its king, Yejong , and to replace the Liao dynasty as the formal suzerains investing his successor, Injong . Her worship subsequently spread: Li Junfu 's early-13th century Putian Bishi records temples on Meizhou and at Qiaodou, Jiangkou, and Baihu. By 1257, Liu Kezhuang
5313-517: Was more respectful. It states that, "after her death, the people erected a temple for her on her home island" and that the Temple of the Sacred Mound ( 聖 墩 廟 ; 圣 墩 庙 ; Shèngdūn Miào ) was raised in 1086 after some people in Ninghai saw it glowing, discovered a miraculous old raft or stump, and experienced a vision of "the goddess of Meizhou". This structure had been renamed the Smooth Crossing Temple by Emperor Huizong of Song in 1123 after his envoy Lu Yundi ( 路 允 迪 ; Lù Yǔndí )
5390-407: Was moved to Peng Chau by the villagers during the Japanese Occupation . 22°15′43″N 113°59′33″E / 22.261923°N 113.992636°E / 22.261923; 113.992636 ( Tin Hau Temple, Luk Tei Tong ) 22°14′23″N 113°59′43″E / 22.239794°N 113.995264°E / 22.239794; 113.995264 ( Tin Hau Temple, Shap Long ) It
5467-414: Was noting Putian's "large market towns and small villages all have... shrines to the Princess" and that they had spread to Fengting to the south. By the end of the Song dynasty, there were at least 31 temples to Mazu, reaching at least as far as Shanghai in the north and Guangzhou in the south. The power of the goddess, having indeed been manifested in previous times, has been abundantly revealed in
5544-777: Was rebuilt in 1951. 22°14′12″N 113°58′55″E / 22.236693°N 113.981979°E / 22.236693; 113.981979 ( Tin Hau Temple, Pui O ) Built in the Ming dynasty , rebuilt in 1798 and repaired in 1947, 1974 and 1995. 22°13′34″N 113°56′03″E / 22.226051°N 113.93407°E / 22.226051; 113.93407 ( Tin Hau Temple, Tong Fuk ) 22°13′07″N 113°55′33″E / 22.218593°N 113.925918°E / 22.218593; 113.925918 ( Tin Hau Temple, Shui Hau ) 22°13′28″N 114°06′40″E / 22.224458°N 114.111198°E / 22.224458; 114.111198 ( Tin Hau Temple, Yung Shue Wan ) Built some time before
5621-615: Was remembered as a young lady who wore a red dress as she roamed over the seas. In religious statuary , she is usually clothed in the attire of an empress, and decorated with accessories such as a ceremonial hu tablet and a flat-topped imperial cap (冕冠， mian'guan ) with rows of beads ( liu ) hanging from the front and back. Her temples are usually protected by the door gods Qianliyan (千里眼) and Shunfeng'er (順風耳). These vary in appearance but are frequently demons, Qianliyan red with two horns and two yellow sapphire eyes and Shunfeng'er green with one horn and two ruby eyes. Lin Moniang (2000),
5698-482: Was said to have been chosen when she did not cry during birth or during the first month afterwards; she remained a quiet and pensive child as late as four. She was said to have been the sixth or seventh daughter of Lin Yuan ( 林 願 ). He is now usually remembered as one of the local fishermen, although the 1593 edition of the Records of Research into the Divine made him Putian's chief military inspector. The family
5775-475: Was sometimes ascribed to a vow she took after losing her brother at sea.) The date of her passing eventually became the specific date of the Double Ninth Festival in 987, making her 27 by western reckoning and 28 by traditional Chinese dating. She was said to have died in meditation, though in some accounts she did not die but climbed a mountain alone and ascended into Heaven as a goddess in
5852-628: Was traditionally thought to roam the seas, protecting her believers through miraculous interventions. She is now generally regarded by her believers as a powerful and benevolent Queen of Heaven. Mazu worship is popular in Taiwan because many early Chinese settlers in Taiwan were Hoklo people from Fujian. Her temple festival is a major event in Taiwan, with the largest celebrations occurring in and around her temples at Dajia and Beigang . In addition to Mazu or Ma-tsu , meaning "Maternal Ancestor" "Mother", "Granny", or "Grandmother", Lin Moniang
5929-418: Was visited by a Taoist master (elsewhere a Buddhist monk ) named Xuantong ( 玄 通 ; Xuántōng ) who recognized her Buddha nature . By 13, she had mastered the book of lore he had left her ( 玄 微 袐 法 ; Xuánwēi Bìfǎ ) and gained the abilities to see the future and visit places in spirit without travel. She was able to manifest herself at a distance as well and used this power to visit gardens in
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