Mazu Culture Village

　　Introduction The Mazu Culture Village is situated on Diaoshitang Hill in Coloane, Macau. Constructed with an investment of 200 million Macanese patacas by the Macau China Mazu Foundation over the course of three years, it was completed in 2003 and covers an area of 6,200 square meters. Its main structures include the giant Mazu statue and the Tianhou Palace. The Mazu statue — On October 28, 1998, at the highest point in Macau, the summit of Diaoshitang Hill on Coloane Island, the world’s tallest Mazu statue was unveiled. Designed by Liang Wanping, President of the Macau Chinese Painting Academy, the statue stands 19.99 meters tall, symbolizing Macau’s return to the motherland on December 20, 1999. This Mazu statue is assembled from 120 blocks of white marble, with the face of Mazu carved from a single piece of intact white marble. Weighing over 500 tons, the entire statue is pure white and exudes a gentle and benevolent expression. Gazing out over the waters off Macau, it seems to watch over the region with deep affection. Perched at Macau’s highest point, the statue is clearly visible both from the sea and the land. Since its consecration, the once-quiet hilltop of Coloane has become bustling with traffic and filled with incense and worshippers. The dressing room in the rear hall of the Tianhou Palace served as Mazu’s daily living quarters and is an important component of the Tianhou Palace architectural complex. It is also an essential structure in the layout of large Mazu temples. Built in the style of ancient Minnan architecture, the two-story pavilion is primarily constructed of stone and wood, covering an area of nearly 3,000 square feet. According to traditional layout, the second floor houses a statue of Guanyin for worshippers to pay homage. Transportation The Macau China Mazu Foundation operates shuttle buses between the Shibaifang parking lot at the foot of Diaoshitang Hill in Coloane and the Tianhou Palace parking lot, with a bus every thirty minutes. The first and last buses from the Shibaifang parking lot depart at 8:00 AM and 6:30 PM respectively, while those from the Tianhou Palace parking lot run from 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM.

　　 Macau, Macau

　　Lin Mo (960~987)　　Lin Mo, also known as Mòniáng, is affectionately called “Auntie,” “Goddess Mother,” or “Mazu” by the people. She was from Putian. Born on March 23, 960, during the first year of the Jianlong era of the Song Dynasty, in Meizhou Isle, Putian County, she came from an official family. From birth until she was one month old, she never cried, hence she was named “Mo” (meaning silence), also called “Mòniáng.” Her great-grandfather Baoji served in the Zhou military as a commanding general but later resigned and lived in seclusion on Meizhou. Her grandfather Fu inherited the family’s honors and served as the Fujian Commander. Her father Yuan was an official patrol inspector of Fujian in the early Song Dynasty. Lin Mo was exceptionally intelligent. By the age of 8, while studying under a tutor, she could already grasp the main ideas of the texts. As she grew older, she enjoyed chanting scriptures and practicing Buddhism. She was highly skilled in medicine, often treating illnesses for others and teaching them how to prevent epidemics and disasters. She was also well-versed in... More+