Mazu Culture
Mazu culture is the collective term for the material and spiritual wealth left behind and passed down through the centuries by the laboring people in their reverence and belief in Mazu. It is a treasure of traditional Chinese culture. Mazu culture originated in the Song Dynasty, took shape in the Yuan Dynasty, flourished in the Ming Dynasty, reached its peak in the Qing Dynasty, and has continued to thrive in modern times. It stems from the commemoration of the historical figure Lin Mo, who was born on Meizhou Island in Putian in the first year of the Jianlong era of the Song Dynasty (960 AD). Lin Mo sacrificed her life at the young age of 28 while rescuing people from a maritime disaster. Her story was initially passed down orally among the people and, after over 30 imperial commendations and titles bestowed by the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, Mazu gradually became a folk deity.
Mazu culture is rich in content and broad in scope, encompassing themes such as patriotism, love for one's hometown, promoting good and suppressing evil, aiding the distressed, and showing great compassion. It also touches on various fields including politics, economics, diplomacy, art, religion, and folklore. In particular, its spiritual essence of "virtue, benevolence, and great love" and its cultural characteristics of "peace, harmony, and inclusiveness" align with China's maritime perspective of a "peaceful sea, cooperative sea, and harmonious sea." As a result, Mazu culture has become an important symbol of Chinese maritime culture.
As Chinese people have spread across the globe, Mazu culture has traveled with them, becoming a spiritual bond and cultural memory shared by people of different skin colors, ethnicities, and regions. Mazu culture embodies the aspirations of the Chinese people for maintaining world peace and building a community with a shared future for humanity. It serves as a spiritual link connecting Chinese people both at home and abroad and has become an important medium for cultural exchange and peaceful interaction among people from different countries. Mazu culture has thus become a globally influential cultural phenomenon and a shared spiritual wealth for all humanity.
Promoting Mazu culture holds special practical significance: First, it can enhance cultural and national identity across the Taiwan Strait, emotionally healing historical wounds, while also uniting overseas Chinese during international exchanges. Second, Mazu culture represents the essence of traditional Chinese culture, and the virtues of virtue, benevolence, and great love embodied by Mazu are also a concentrated reflection of the excellent qualities of the Chinese nation. Promoting Mazu culture plays a crucial role in guiding society, educating people, and building a harmonious society under market economy conditions. Third, Mazu culture enhances exchanges among Chinese people worldwide and further promotes trade, especially between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Finally, Mazu culture is of great significance to the development of China's cultural tourism industry, particularly in Fujian Province.
In modern society, Mazu culture continues to hold important value for inheritance and development. On one hand, through various forms of sacrificial activities, cultural exhibitions, and academic seminars, the spiritual essence and values of Mazu culture are continuously promoted. On the other hand, by combining the needs of the times, innovative forms and methods of disseminating Mazu culture are being developed, such as creating online Mazu cultural exhibitions and developing related cultural and creative products using modern information technology. This allows Mazu culture to better integrate into modern life and be recognized and accepted by people. At the same time, various regions are actively promoting the integrated development of Mazu culture with tourism, economy, and other fields, fostering the prosperity of local economies and cultures.
