Mazu, revered as the Heavenly Empress, Heavenly Queen, and even the Holy Mother of Heaven, has long been a lighthouse in the hearts of sailors, sailors, travelers, merchants, and fishermen, who hold deep respect and trust in her. She was born in the embrace of Putian City, Fujian Province, with the original name Lin Mo and the nickname Mo Niang. Since childhood, she has been unique and carries the omens of stars and extraordinary destiny.
It is said that on the night of Mazu’s birth, a brilliant red light flashed across the sky, like a shooting star falling, reflecting the rocks of the island red, heralding the arrival of an extraordinary life. Despite being a woman, Lin Mo showed extraordinary intelligence and obedience, and was deeply loved by her parents. There is a wonderful story about her childhood, where the vegetables she casually scattered while playing on the island miraculously took root and sprouted. The flowers bloomed everywhere year after year, without the need for cultivation, and naturally flourished. Therefore, people named this land “Caiziyu” to commemorate this incredible miracle.
At the age of sixteen, during the refreshing autumn breeze, Mazu faced her first major test in life. His father and brother boarded a ship heading north, but unexpectedly encountered strong winds and huge waves, and their fate was uncertain. Mazu was extremely anxious, knowing that although her father could escape danger, her brother could not escape. Soon, the bad news came, confirming her premonition. In the midst of grief, Mazu resolutely accompanied her mother to go out to sea to search for her brother. She saw that in the turbulent sea, aquatic creatures gathered, and everyone was terrified. However, Mazu knew that this was the intention of the water god and led her forward. In an instant, the seawater became clear, and the body of the elder brother appeared, allowing for burial. Since then, on the night of Mazu’s birthday, schools of fish surround Meiyu Island, becoming an auspicious day for fishermen to rest their boats, symbolizing peace and gratitude.
At the age of twenty-one, Putian suffered a severe drought, causing unbearable suffering for the people, who only sought the protection of Mazu. The county magistrate personally went to pray, and Mazu agreed. She prophesied that on the day of Renzi, a sweet rain would fall. On that day, the sky was clear for thousands of miles, and everyone was half believing and half doubting. Until the hour of Shen Ke, dark clouds suddenly rose, heavy rain poured down, and the long dry land finally became nourished, and all things revived. On another day, a merchant ship encountered danger and was about to sink in strong winds and huge waves, causing the villagers to hesitate. Upon seeing this, Mazu casually picked up small grass, threw it into the sea, and instantly transformed into a giant cedar, stabilizing the merchant ship and rescuing everyone from danger.
There is also a legend that Mazu wanted to cross the sea without a boat. With a sudden inspiration, she took an iron horse in front of her house and used it as a boat. With a whip, the iron horse transformed into a dragon and braved the wind and waves to safely transport her to the other shore. After landing, the iron horse returned to its invisible state, which was breathtaking and was known as the divine power of the “Dragon Maiden”.
In addition, Mazu is well-known for her achievements in subduing the two gods of Qianliyan and Shunfeng’er, and subduing the two monsters of Jiaying and Jiayou. In the legend of love, the unfinished love between Mazu and Baosheng Emperor is even more legendary. According to legend, Emperor Baosheng fell in love with Mazu at first sight and launched a passionate pursuit. Mazu was also moved by his kindness, and the two fell in love. Although they were not married, they left behind a beautiful story of “firm friendship”. Until now, Mazu and Baosheng Emperor can still be seen worshipped side by side in many temples, becoming a unique scenic spot in the southern Fujian region.
