What religion is Mazu? Is Mazu a feudal superstition?

Mazu is a Taoist belief in the sea god centered on the southeast coast of China, also known as Tiannv, Tianhou, Tianhou Niangniang, Tian Fei, Tianfei Niangniang and Meizhou Niangniang.

According to legend, Mazu was born in the Song Dynasty (or Meizhou Island, Putian County, Xinghua Prefecture, Fujian Province at the end of the Five Dynasties). When he was born, he neither cried nor made noise, so he was named Mo and nicknamed Mo Niang, so he was also called Niang. Since the Northern Song Dynasty, it has been deified, called Mazu, and worshipped by temple builders. Since then, it was named Lady Hui Ling by Song Gaozong and became a god recognized by the government. Mazu belief spread from Fujian to Zhejiang, Guangdong and other coastal provinces, and also to Taiwan Province, Ryukyu, Japan, Southeast Asia (such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam), Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Shandong, Liaoning and other coastal areas. There are Tianhou Palace or Mazu Tempel.

During the Yongle period of Ming Dynasty, Zheng He went to the Western Ocean, and Mazu belief reached its peak when it spread overseas. In addition, with a large number of uninterrupted overseas Chinese immigration activities, Mazu belief has spread more widely and deeply, and Mazu Tempel can be found in China City (especially in coastal areas), such as Nagasaki, Mazu Tempel in Yokohama, Mage Temple in Macau, Tianhou Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Longtian Palace in the Philippines and Tianhou Palace in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Even Europe and America began to have Mazu Tempel.

The influence of Mazu spread from Meizhou, Fujian Province, and had a great influence on the marine culture of East Asia and the coastal culture of China for thousands of years, which was called Mazu culture by scholars.

On June 5438+ 10, 2009, Mazu's belief and customs were selected into UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Mazu is one of the Taoist gods, except for some people who don't have special scriptures in their minds. Believers focus on overseas Chinese Mazu, and their customs and beliefs occupy a very important position. They will say, "We are from China, with black hair and yellow skin, who worship Mazu.".