[Explanation] October 25, the Chongyang Festival, this day is also the 1033 anniversary of the ascension of Mazu, the goddess of sea peace.
The "Hometown of Mazu" held a grand celebration on Meizhou Island in Putian, Fujian Province, and believers at home and abroad joined the event.
[Commentary] At 9 am, witnessed by Mazu admirers at home and abroad, Mazu’s golden body rides from the sleeping hall of the Meizhou ancestral temple and begins to patrol Meizhou Island around the border. Thousands of Mazu admirers form a huge escort. Mission, escort all the way forward.
Along the way, the unique local performances attracted many people to stop.
[On-site synchronization]
[Concurrent] Mazu believer Zheng Yaping
I hope that Mazu can bless us all on Meizhou Island to be able to go smoothly, our careers will be prosperous, and everyone will be healthy.
[Explanation] At 12 noon, Mazu's golden body was stationed on the altar shaped like a treasure ship on Qingpu Ao Beach.
At 3 pm, the sea sacrifice ceremony for Mazu officially began.
Drums sounded in unison, drums teed, salutes rang, and conch sounded.
The chief priest and the accompaniment perform three kneeling and nine knocks in accordance with the sacrifice.
The chief priest reads the text of the wishes and presents three gifts.
Afterwards, the chief priest and accompanying priests performed the release ceremony to pay homage to Mazu.
Mazu believers from all over the world participated together and prayed for peace.
[Concurrent] Taiwan’s Mazu believer Zhang Jiarong
It’s like when my mother took us back to our mother’s house when we were young, we felt very cordial. We come here to invite Mazu to worship the ancestors every year. I have a feeling of returning to our hometown. I look forward to the end of the epidemic and all Taiwan’s Mazu respect. The person can quickly return to his natal and own hometown, come to visit the ancestors and worship again, and come back to better inherit the Mazu culture.
[Explanation] Sea sacrifices to Mazu have been passed down from generation to generation and have been passed down to the present. It is an important part of Mazu's beliefs and customs. It embodies the harmonious ecological concept of Mazu culture that advocates gratitude to the ocean and treats the ocean well.
After the sea sacrifice ceremony, Mazu's golden body will continue its journey around the border and will return to Luang on October 26.
[Concurrent] Lin Jinzan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mazu Temple, Meizhou
As the ancestral court of the world’s Mazu Temple, the Mazu Temple in Meizhou is responsible for the historical responsibility of inheriting Mazu’s beliefs and customs, spreading Mazu culture, and promoting Mazu spirit. It is a bridge of friendship and communication among the vast number of Mazu admirers at home and abroad.
[Explanation] The reporter learned that Mazu is known as the "Patron saint of the Sea". There are tens of thousands of Mazu deity temples in more than 40 countries and regions around the world, with more than 300 million followers.
In 2009, "Mazu Belief" was included in the "Representative List of Human Intangible Cultural Heritage" by UNESCO.
Wu Shengwei, Zhang Yang and Chen Jianxing report from Putian, Fujian
Editor in charge: 【Luo Pan】