Believe It or Not! Mazu, China's Goddess of Ocean Could Take an Airplane

ID number：350321096003237001

Name: Lin Mo

Who is that?

In the misty dawn of Meizhou Island, Fujian, the rhythmic beat of drums echoes across the harbor. Fishermen kneel before a statue draped in silk, offering incense to a woman who died a millennium ago but lives on as a global symbol of hope: Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea. Her story—a blend of myth, history, and unyielding human spirit—resonates far beyond China’s shores, connecting millions in a shared quest for safety, peace, and cultural belonging.

Mazu’s tale begins in 960 AD, as Lin Mo, a real-life Song Dynasty girl from Meizhou. Unlike her peers, she refused to marry, dedicating her life to saving sailors from storms. Legends say she died at 28 while rescuing shipwrecked fishermen, her body washing ashore glowing with divine light. Villagers built a shrine, and over centuries, her compassion evolved into a faith embraced by seafarers across Asia.

Today, her influence spans 40+ countries, with over 10,000 temples worldwide. From Brazilian fishermen to Taiwanese shopkeepers, devotees whisper prayers to her before voyages. “Where there’s seawater, there are Chinese; where there are Chinese, there’s Mazu,” goes the proverb—a testament to her role as a cultural anchor.

It is also why she is the only god with an identification card and ID number. Since nearly 10,000 statues of the deity have been "branched off" from the Mazu Temple in Meizhou, they are spread across 47 countries and regions, forming a belief network radiating outward from Meizhou, Fujian. There are over 2,000 Mazu temples in Taiwan alone, with as many as 16 million believers. Therefore, Mazu in Fujian often needs to travel by plane or high-speed rail, or even take the MRT for religious exchange activities, and she has to use this ID card to "buy tickets with real name".

Every March on the lunar calendar, Meizhou erupts in color for Mazu’s birthday. Dragon dances twist through streets, their scales glittering under fireworks.

Puppet shows reenact her heroics, while opera singers belt ballads of her miracles.

In 2009, UNESCO recognized Mazu belief customs as a Masterpiece of Intangible Heritage—a triumph against steep odds. The application team raced against time, translating rituals like the “Three Xian Ceremony” (offering hair, jewelry, and robes to Mazu statues) into compelling narratives for global audiences. Their success cemented Mazu as a bridge between cultures.

Her legacy now fuels cross-strait ties, too. In Taiwan province, 80% of the people worship Mazu, and annual pilgrimages to Meizhou’s ancestral temple symbolize a longing for roots. Mazu isn’t just a goddess. She’s family.

Why does Mazu still matter today? Mazu’s ethos—bravery, compassion, unity—speaks to modern crises. During the 2020 pandemic, temples live-streamed rituals, offering solace to isolated worshippers. In 2023, a cross-Straits Mazu cultural festival drew 500,000 attendees, proving her power to maintain relations.

As climate change threatens oceans, her message feels urgent. Fishermen in Indonesia now invoke her name while planting coral reefs—a fusion of faith and environmentalism.

Mazu’s story isn’t just history. It’s a living dialogue between past and present, East and West. And in a fractured world, her light guides us toward shared shores.