What is the blending of Buddhism and Taoism?

The appearance of this great goddess, Chen Jinggu, has brought infinite comfort and hope for survival to the poor people living in underdeveloped Fujian in history and has become the spiritual pillar of people's life for thousands of years. As far as fame is concerned, Chen Jinggu's overseas fame is not as good as that of Mazu, the sea god, but her common destiny is closely linked with the heartstrings of Fujian people, especially women.

In ancient times, due to underdeveloped medicine, poor sanitary conditions and lack of medicine, women had dystocia and babies died from time to time. Especially for women, childbirth is like "going through the gate of hell". Safe and natural childbirth is the greatest wish of women, and childbirth is also related to the life of mother and child and the continuation of family incense. Therefore, the gods who bless production and protect women and children came into being. God's will is man-made, and Mrs. Lin Shui was finally born under the call of the people for thousands of years and became the long-awaited savior. When history becomes a legend, mortals become gods, and the legendary stories spread through the ages begin.

Chen Jinggu is a Taoist goddess, but there is a Guanyin Pavilion in Gutian Linshui Palace, which is dedicated to the Buddhist Guanyin Bodhisattva. This has been the case for hundreds of years, and generations of believers have never felt anything wrong. In fact, when we trace the life story of Mrs. Lin Shui bit by bit here, it is not difficult to have a sense of deja vu: she is helpful and responsive; Helping the weak and helping the poor and protecting women and children; Drive away the devil and be merciful ... how similar it is to Guanyin bodhisattva worshipped by the world! For this reason, many Fujian folk Buddhists believe that Chen Jinggu is one of the incarnations of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and worshipping Chen Jinggu is just like worshipping Guanyin. As a result, Chen Jinggu's belief culture, which has lasted for thousands of years on both sides of the strait, has a unique phenomenon of blending Buddhism and Taoism. The mutual infiltration and even harmony between Buddhism and Taoism has become another cultural feature of Chen Jinggu's belief.

Historically, Mrs. Chen Jinggu's belief in water has gradually extended from Fuzhou and Gutian to the whole country and even overseas. Now, all the places where Chinese people live in the world have the belief of their wives. In Taiwan Province Province, China, the belief in Mrs. Lin Shui is more extensive. According to an expert from Taiwan Province Province who specializes in studying Mrs. Linshui, there are 139 Linshui Palace in Taiwan Province Province, and there are shrines in almost every county and city, and there are countless temples with statues of Mrs. Linshui. Now, more than 30 delegations from Taiwan Province Province and nearly 1,000 compatriots from Taiwan Province come to worship each year.

Chen Jinggu's belief in crossing the ocean is inseparable from Fuzhou people's emigration to Taiwan Province Province. In the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, people from Min County, Houguan, Changle and Lianjiang followed Zheng Chenggong across the ocean and settled in Taiwan Province. In the 22nd year of Kangxi (1683), after the Qing court unified Taiwan Province Province, it abolished the order to move the boundary and lifted the maritime ban, and thousands of residents outside the boundary returned home one after another. In Fuzhou, which is sparsely populated, a large number of people came to Taiwan Province to make a living and reclaim wasteland. In the early Qing Dynasty, the rulers strictly controlled the settlers who entered Taiwan Province. Generally speaking, settlers are not allowed to take their families with them, and they are allowed to adopt a "migratory bird" lifestyle. In the 10th year of Yongzheng (1732), the Qing court relaxed immigration restrictions and allowed immigrants to enter Taiwan Province with their families. During the Qianlong period, restrictions on entering Taiwan were further relaxed, and Tamsui Bali City and Fuzhou Wuhumen were identified as one of the cross-strait ports. In this way, it is more convenient for Fuzhou people to bring their families to Taiwan. With the increasing number of Fuzhou people who have settled in Taiwan Province and the harsh reality of lack of medical care and medicine, in order to pray for the goddess to protect women and children, waterfront palaces have been built all over Taiwan Province Province.

Nantai Waterfront Palace in Baihe Town, Tainan was built in Shunzhi period in the early Qing Dynasty, and is considered as Kaiji Waterfront Palace in Taiwan Province Province. According to the records of the government records of Taiwan Province Province, Fujian Province rebuilt during the Qianlong period, there was a waterfront palace in Taiwan Province, but it was not specified when it was built. Jiaqing's "Continued Records of Taiwan Province Province" records that Lady Linshui Temple is located in Ningnan Square, and now it is moved to Shanzaiwei, Dongan Square. Qianlong fifty-one years (1786), built by many people. Since then, Mrs. Linshui's belief as a goddess of fetus protection has gradually spread on the island of Taiwan Province Province, and has gradually been widely believed by local people. Since 1960s, Taiwan Province's belief in Chen Jinggu has been further promoted, and many seaside palaces have been rebuilt or renovated. Temples such as Nantai Waterfront Palace, Waterfront Nai Lady Temple and Taipei Waterfront Paradise in Baihe Town, Tainan City are full of incense. Especially the Bitan Sightseeing Seaside Palace in Taipei, which was built in 1980s, is the most spectacular. Now it is one of the five major tourist temples in Taiwan Province Province, with an endless stream of pilgrims all over the country.

On the 15th day of the first month of every year, Chen Jinggu's birthday, there will be a grand celebration in Linshui Palace, and believers flock to burn incense and pray. Even more, thousands of Taiwan Province compatriots have taken pains to cross the ocean with Chen Jinggu as their arm, and made pilgrimages to Chen Jinggu's maiden ancestral temple in Fuzhou or Gutian Fujia ancestral temple. Fuzhou folks and Taiwan Province compatriots donated money to repair the Tating Ancestral Hall of Queen Mother Chen in Linshui and the rain-praying place of Chen Jinggu in Longtanjiao. The restoration of these two thousand-year-old monuments has promoted the development of Chen Jinggu culture, strengthened cross-strait non-governmental exchanges and enhanced national affinity. In recent years, due to the convenient transportation, more and more Taiwan Province compatriots have made pilgrimages to the Dading Ancestral Temple in Fuzhou and the rain-praying place of Chenjinggu in Longtan Corner, where the long and profound folk culture of Rongtai (Fuzhou for short) has been fully interpreted.

On June 65438+1October 13, 2004, more than 00 members of Our Lady of Shuntian in Taiwan Province Province 100 made a special trip to Gutian Linshui Palace to hold a grand worship ceremony. In front of the golden statue of Mrs. Chen Jinggu near the water in the main hall of the palace temple, they burned incense and prayed for the gods to protect the health and safety of women and children on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. A member of the pilgrimage group said with emotion that when we returned to the ancestral hall of Gutian Linshui Palace for pilgrimage today, all our believers were deeply sorry for the goddess Shuntian with a sincere heart. We believers should promote cross-strait peace by promoting religious and cultural exchanges and even economic exchanges. For more than a thousand years, history has been accompanied by myths. Today, Chen Jinggu's belief and Gutian Waterfront Palace have become a link between people on both sides of the strait.