Mazu of Wushi

　　Mazu of Wushi is situated on Ziwēi Mountain by the Wujian River in Jiuzhen Town. Mazu, originally named Lin Moniang, was born on the 23rd day of the third month in the first year of the Jianlong era of the Song Dynasty (960 AD) in Meizhou, Putian. Legend has it that from birth until she was one month old, she never cried, hence her name “Moniang” (meaning “silent girl”). Moniang was intelligent from a young age; at eight, she began studying under a teacher, quickly grasping the meanings of texts, and became proficient in medicine. She treated illnesses for common people and provided medical care for fishermen, earning their deep respect. On the ninth day of the ninth month in the fourth year of the Yongxi era (987 AD), the 28-year-old Lin Moniang ascended to heaven on Meizhou Island. To commemorate her, a temple was built on the island that same year. It is said that Mazu often appeared to protect ships, save lives during maritime disasters, and thus was revered as the Goddess of the Sea. When the Ming Dynasty’s Grand Eunuch Zheng He undertook his seven voyages to the Western Seas, and the Qing Dynasty’s General Shi Lang marched on Taiwan, both credited “divine protection” for their successes. As tales of Mazu’s miracles spread, emperors throughout the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties conferred honors upon her, totaling 28 times. Her divine titles evolved from “Goddess,” to “Heavenly Goddess,” “Heavenly Empress,” and finally “Holy Mother of Heaven.” Mazu temples can now be found at harbors, docks, and river ports across China, as well as in Southeast Asia, North and South America, and Japan. Taiwan alone has nearly a thousand Mazu temples, making her a guardian deity across the Taiwan Strait.

　　 The skin tones of Mazu statues come in three colors: pink, gold, and black. Pink represents her expression in life, gold symbolizes her enlightened state, and black depicts her during rescue missions. The black statue is respectfully called “Black-Faced Mazu” in Fujian and Taiwan. The original Mazu temple is the Tianhou Palace in Meizhou, where the first foundational Mazu statue was carved from black agarwood in the second year of the Xianping era of the Song Dynasty (999 AD), over a thousand years ago — believed to be the oldest surviving Mazu statue in the world. So how did this particular statue end up at the Tianhou Palace in Wushi, Zhangpu? It turns out it was by Mazu’s own will, part of a touching story. Lin Shizhang, a three-time high-ranking official in the Ming Dynasty and Minister of Rites in Nanjing, was a top scholar (zhuangyuan) from Wushi, Zhangpu. Legend says that when Lin Shizhang was on his way to the capital to take the imperial exams, he encountered a young flower-selling woman blocking his path on the Luoyang Bridge in Quanzhou. She demanded that he compose a poem or a matching couplet before she would let him pass. Pointing to the embroidered flowers on her shoes, she said: “Flowers of chrysanthemum embroidered on the shoe tip, trod upon dew each dawn yet never bloom.” Lin Shizhang was momentarily at a loss for words. Just as he hesitated, a cool breeze blew by, and the woman vanished without a trace. Later, when he took the exams in the capital, he passed the imperial test and advanced to the palace examination. It was a hot summer day, and Emperor Jiajing, fanning himself, posed this line: “Plum blossom painted on a fan, fanned daily yet its branches never sway.” Lin Shizhang recalled his strange encounter and immediately responded: “Flowers of chrysanthemum embroidered on the shoe tip, trod upon dew each dawn yet never bloom.” The emperor praised, “Well answered, though a bit too flowery — truly the words of a zhuangyuan.” Lin Shizhang quickly knelt down to express his gratitude and was thus awarded the title of zhuangyuan. From then on, he received official appointments and promotions. When Lin Shizhang returned home to visit family, he stopped at the Tianhou Palace in Meizhou to pray and was struck by the resemblance between the woman on the bridge and Mazu. He realized she had been the incarnation of Mazu helping him. In the ninth year of the Wanli era (1581 AD), upon retiring, Lin Shizhang went to Meizhou especially to worship Mazu and brought back the first black-faced Mazu statue. He built a temple to enshrine her, which has been worshipped to this day, commonly known as “Mazu of Wushi.”

　　 Lin Shizhang (1524–1600), also known as Defei, with the courtesy name Bìdōng, was a native of Wushi Village, Wujian, Jiuzhen, Zhangpu. Born in the third year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1524), he passed the imperial examination in the 38th year of Jiajing (1559), ranking third in the top tier (zhuangyuan) of the palace examination — the title of zhuangyuan. He was the only person from Zhangpu County to receive this honor, and one of only five in the entire Zhangzhou Prefecture. He served as a Hanlin editor, academic head (jijiu) of the Imperial Colleges in Beijing and Nanjing, vice minister of the Ministry of Rites along with roles such as Hanlin academician reader and lecturer at imperial lectures, and eventually Minister of Rites in Nanjing. He was known for his integrity, humility, and respect for scholars. In the ninth year of the Wanli era (1581), he retired and built the Changqiao City north of Zhangzhou, where he lived for twenty years. He passed away in the 28th year of Wanli (1600) at the age of 77 and was granted an imperial funeral. In recent years, Taiwanese compatriots from his ancestral home in Wushi donated funds to rebuild the Wushi Tianhou Palace, memorial archways, and two grand halls, which complement the nearby Zǐwēi Temple. The scenic area contains many cultural relics and historic sites, including the Zǐwēi Cave and Zǐwēi Academy where nine successful jinshi (advanced scholars) and seven successful juren (provincial degree holders) from the Jiajing to Wanli eras studied, as well as the Wénchāng Pavilion. There is also the Xie An Temple built during the Tang Dynasty. Nearby is the Hǎiyún Family Temple, a provincial-level cultural relic and ancestral hall of the Lin family in Wushi. The Wushi Tianhou Palace, centered around Mazu culture, serves as a bridge for close exchanges between people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and is a popular pilgrimage and tourist destination.

　　

　　Lin Mo (960~987)　　Lin Mo, also known as Moniang, was affectionately called “Auntie,” “Goddess Mother,” or “Mazu” by the people. She was from Putian. Born on the 23rd day of the third month in the first year of the Jianlong era (960 AD) in Meizhou Isle, Putian County, into an official family. From birth until she was one month old, she never cried, which is why she was named “Mo” (“silent”), and also called “Moniang” (“silent girl”). Her great-grandfather Bǎojí served in the Zhou Dynasty military as a commanding general but resigned and secluded himself on Meizhou. Her grandfather Fú inherited the family merit and served as the Commander of Fujian. Her father Yuán was an official patrol inspector of Fujian in the early Song Dynasty. Moniang was extremely intelligent; at eight years old, she could grasp the gist of texts while studying with a private tutor. As she grew older, she enjoyed chanting scriptures and practicing Buddhism. She was highly skilled in medicine, often treating people’s illnesses, teaching disease prevention, and disaster avoidance, and was also well versed in... More+