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Matsu (goddess)

Mazu
Mazu Tomb.jpg
Lin Moniang's tomb in Nangan in the Matsu Islands
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaning Maternal Ancestor
Lin Moniang
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Popular names
Kinmen Matsu Park.JPG
A statue of Mazu in Kinmen Matsu Park on the Taiwanese-held island of Jinmen near Xiamen
Granny Mazu
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaning Granny Mazu
Queen of Heaven
Chinese
Literal meaning Celestial Empress
Princess of Heaven
Chinese
Literal meaning Celestial Concubine
Holy Heavenly Mother
Chinese
Literal meaning Heavenly-&-Sacred Mother
Formal titles
Lady of Numinous Grace
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaning Powerful-&-Kind Lady
Princess of Numinous Grace
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaning Powerful-&-Kind Concubine
Illuminating Princess of Heaven who Protects the Nation
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaning Nation-protecting Brightly-Burning Celestial Concubine
Holy Princess of Clear Piety, Pure Faith, and Helpful Response
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaning Clearly Filial and Purely Believing and Helpfully Responding Sacred Concubine

Tin¹ Hau⁶

Mazu, also known by several other names and titles, is a Chinese sea goddess, the deified form of the historical Lin Mo or Lin Moniang, a Fujianese shamaness traditionally dated to c. 960 – c. 987. Revered after her death as a patron of seafarers, including fishermen and sailors, her worship spread throughout China's coastal regions and expatriate communities throughout Southeast Asia. She was 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, a role in which she is sometimes syncretized with similar figures, such as Guanyin and the Virgin Mary. Mazuism is most popular on Taiwan; her temple festival is a major event throughout the country, with the largest celebrations around her temples at Dajia and Beigang. It is a notionally illegal cult in the People's Republic of China but is broadly tolerated and sometimes conflated with approved Taoist beliefs.

In addition to Mazu or Ma-tsu, meaning "Maternal Ancestor" "Mother", "Granny", or "Grandmother", Lin Moniang 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.


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Wikipedia

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