Mazu worshippers pray for blessings in Meizhou Mazu Temple

 

Mazu is named after a woman in Song Dynasty (960-1279) who forecast the weather at sea and was later deified as a goddess of the sea. Mazu belief has been prevalent in Fujian for hundreds of years. The Chinese goddess of the sea has come from the folk. Originally named Lin Mo-niang, Mazu was a native of Meizhou Island off the southeastern province of Fujian in the tenth century. She is recorded to have been a helpful, kindhearted, and brave girl; she could forecast the weather and offered medical services to fellow islanders, and was deeply esteemed by the locals for her benevolent deeds. She died at 28 when rescuing shipwreck victims in 987 CE.