Mazu belief, the core idea of ??Mazu culture

The belief function of Mazu culture has developed from the initial Poseidon belief culture to now with more belief functions. These are all new functions given by the development of modern society. So, in today’s Mazu belief culture, what is the core idea of ??its belief? Next, come with me to find out.

1. Carry forward patriotism and promote the peaceful reunification of the motherland.

Mainland and Taiwan share the same roots and ancestors, and have inherited cultures for more than a thousand years, forming an indestructible national consciousness. Mazu is the "god" of China, and Mazu's patriotism also determines the patriotism of her believers.

On May 6, 1989, more than 200 Taiwanese compatriots broke the ban of the Taiwan authorities and took a boat to Meizhou to worship Mazu Temple; from January to May 1997, the golden statue of Mazu in Meizhou paraded around Taiwan For 103 days, it stayed in 36 temples and received 10 million worshippers from Taiwanese Mazu believers, creating a huge response on the island of Taiwan.

On July 25, 2002, Mazu’s golden body sailed directly to Penghu, and tens of thousands of people paid homage to it. The scene made people burst into tears.

At 8 a.m. on October 21, 2004, the golden statue of Meizhou Mazu departed from the Mazu Temple on Meizhou Island in Putian City. Accompanied by a group of 54 escorts, it flew from Changle International Airport. Go to Macau to participate in the 2nd Macau Mazu Cultural Tourism Festival.

In 2005, Mr. Lien Chan and Mr. Soong Chuyu respectively wrote inscriptions for the Mazu Temple in Meizhou: "Shen Zhao Hai Biao" and "Holy Virtue Matches Heaven".

This is the cohesive function of Mazu belief. Today, Mazu has become a symbol of peace for cross-strait trade and navigation, and a goddess of peace who unifies the motherland and bridges cross-strait exchanges. This function in Mazu belief will continue to play a role until the motherland is completely reunified.

2. Spread the spirit of fraternity and educate all living beings to be good.

The universe is vast and boundless, but humans are the masters of the universe. Although there are differences in aesthetics, value orientations, customs and habits due to differences in region, race, and cultural roots, as the instinct of "birth", human nature's understanding of good and evil, beauty and ugliness, tends to be the same.

Mazu belief has adapted to human beings’ recognition of truth, goodness and beauty in many aspects, such as helping those in need, curing illnesses and saving people, and giving people peace and auspiciousness, etc. This is not only the spread of culture, but also the enlightenment of concepts.

"Teachers tell, they have words, reasons, meanings, teachings, and transmissions. Words are proclaimed, teaching is told. Through words, one understands the teachings and understands them, and if they understand, they forget what they said." ( Zhang Junfang's "Seven Lots of Clouds"), when an idea is accepted by the people, education takes a back seat, and the concept (the recognition of truth, goodness, and beauty) takes root, blossoms, and bears fruit.

3. Enlighten conscience, establish cherishing nature and return to nature.

For more than a thousand years, human beings have faced droughts, floods, and locust plagues. When plagues are prevalent, they often pray to gods for hope of eliminating disasters. Mazu calms tsunamis, Zhang Tianshi prays to ward off plagues, and the Dragon King sends down rain... …Human beings gradually gain enlightenment through constant prayers to gods: all living beings are equal, everything has animism, and Tao follows nature…. Protecting the ecological environment and returning to nature has become the voice of the world and all mankind.