Mazu Culture
Mazu culture is the general term for the material and spiritual wealth left behind and passed down by the working people through their reverence and belief in Mazu over thousands of years. It is a treasure of traditional Chinese culture. Mazu culture originated in the Song Dynasty, took shape in the Yuan Dynasty, rose in the Ming Dynasty, flourished in the Qing Dynasty, and has prospered in modern and contemporary times. It stems from the commemoration of Lin Mo, a real historical figure. Lin Mo was born on Meizhou Island, Putian, in the first year of the Jianlong era of the Song Dynasty (960 AD) and died at the young age of 28 while rescuing people from a sea disaster. Her story was initially passed down orally among the people. After more than 30 rounds of enshrinement and commendation by the imperial courts of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, Mazu gradually became a folk deity.
Mazu culture is rich in connotation and broad in extension. It includes not only love of country and hometown, the promotion of virtue and condemnation of evil, helping those in distress, and great love and benevolence, but also involves many fields such as politics, economy, diplomacy, art, religion, and folklore. In particular, its spiritual essence of "establishing virtue, doing good, and showing great love" and its cultural characteristics of "peace, harmony, and inclusiveness" are consistent with China's maritime perspective of a "peaceful sea, cooperative sea, and harmonious sea." Therefore, Mazu culture has also become an important symbol of Chinese maritime culture.
Mazu culture has spread around the world with the footsteps of the Chinese diaspora, becoming a common spiritual bond and cultural memory for people of different colors, ethnicities, and regions. Mazu culture embodies the aspiration of the Chinese people to maintain world peace and build a community with a shared future for mankind. It has become a spiritual bond connecting Chinese people at home and abroad, an important medium for cultural exchange and peaceful interaction among peoples of the world, a cultural phenomenon with global influence, and a common spiritual wealth belonging to all humanity.
Promoting Mazu culture has special practical significance: First, it can enhance cultural and national identity across the Taiwan Strait and heal historical wounds emotionally, while also uniting the hearts of overseas Chinese in foreign exchanges. Second, Mazu culture is the essence of traditional Chinese culture. The virtues of establishing virtue, doing good, and showing great love embodied by Mazu are also a concentrated expression of the excellent qualities of the Chinese nation. Promoting Mazu culture plays a very important role in guiding society, educating people, and building a harmonious society under market economy conditions. Third, Mazu culture strengthens exchanges among Chinese people at home and abroad and further develops commercial exchanges (especially those across the Taiwan Strait). Finally, Mazu culture is of great significance to the development of China's cultural tourism industry (especially the cultural tourism industry of Fujian Province).
In modern society, Mazu culture still holds important value for inheritance and development. On the one hand, through various forms of sacrificial activities, cultural exhibitions, academic seminars, etc., the spiritual connotation and values of Mazu culture are continuously promoted. On the other hand, by adapting to the needs of the times, innovative forms of expression and dissemination of Mazu culture are being created, such as using modern information technology to build online Mazu cultural exhibition halls and developing related cultural and creative products, so that Mazu culture can be better integrated 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 to promote the prosperity of local economy and culture.
