The Motherly Matriarch
Origin of the Motherly Matriarch
As the sea protector worshiped by people in the southeastern coastal area as well as by overseas Chinese, the Motherly Matriarch ( 媽祖 Mazu ) was also known as Heavenly Consort ( 天妃 Tianfei ), Queen of Heaven, Lady Heavenly Consort and Goddess of Heaven, etc. According to the Supreme Venerable Sovereign' Book of the Miracles of the Heavenly Consort Who Saves from Disasters ( 太上老君說天妃救苦靈驗經 Taishang Laojun Shuo Tianfei Jiuku Lingyan Jing ), the Supreme Venerable Sovereign conferred on the Motherly Matriarch the title of 'Heavenly Consort of Universal Salvation, Demonstrator of Benevolence in Brilliant Communion, Sublime and Numinous Protector of People, Guardian of the Kingdom, Trustworthy Saviour in Numinous Communion, Pure and Orthodox Promoter of Filial Piety, and Assistant of the Big Dipper' ( 輔斗昭孝純正靈應孚濟護國庇民妙靈昭應弘仁普濟天妃 Fudou Zhaoxiao Chunzheng Lingying Fuji Huguo Bimin Miaoling Zhaoying Hongren Puji Tianfei ). The records about the Motherly Matriarch started to appear in the Northern Song dynasty. It is said that the Motherly Matriarch was born in the first Jiannong year of the first Song emperor (AD 960) and was the daughter of Lin Yuan, who was a high-ranking military official. The Motherly Matriarch's personal name was Moliang. She died in the fourth Yongxi year of the Song emperor Tai (AD 984) at the age of 28. It is said that when she was born, the room was filled with red light and strange smoke. She was born one month old and didn't cry even once. So she was called Moniang, which means 'Silent Girl'. She started to attend a village school at the age of eight and showed a special interest in burning incense and worshiping Buddha. She was taught Daoist books and secret skills at the age of thirteen, and granted a mysterious talisman at sixteen. Since then, she was able to stretch a straw mat to sea, saving people in danger. After her ascension, she always responded quickly to prayers. Since the Xuanhe year, between the Northern and Southern Song dynasties, she was granted various titles nine times, which continually increased her importance and prestige. Her original title 'Madam' was replaced by 'Higher Consort' in the Shaoxi year of Southern Song dynasty emperor Guang (AD 1190). Then her title was changed to 'Heavenly Consort' during the first Yuan emperor's reign, then, further, to 'Queen of Heaven' during reign of the Qing emperor Kangxi. During reign of the Qing emperor Jiaqing, the titles conferred on the Motherly Matriarch added up to 28 Chinese characters.
Salvation for People
Most stories about the Motherly Matriarch were related to her salvation of people stranded in the sea. It is said that she could save people from far away with the help of two aids: her Penetrating Eyes ( 千里眼 Qianli Yan ) and Penetrating Ears ( 順風耳 Shunfeng Er ). Usually dressed in red, the Motherly Matriarch traveled among the islands on clouds. When ships sailing on the sea were hit by storms and people on board recited the Motherly Matriarch's sacred titles, she would emerge to help. According to the Supreme Venerable Sovereign's Book of the Miracles of the Heavenly Consort Who Saves from Disasters, the Motherly Matriarch's obligations included saving wrecks, people in danger, and innocent souls seeking for release. In later periods, her obligation was enlarged. In the Daoist book mentioned above, she claimed to save businessmen, farmers, craftsmen, soldiers, women suffering from difficult labor, and patients if they call her name piously and let her know their wishes. So in folk culture, she was also called 'Auntie Who Delivers Babies'.
Worship for the Motherly Matriarch
In most parts of China's southeastern coastal area, there are temples dedicated to the Motherly Matriarch, among which the oldest one was in Putian county of Quanzhou city, Fujian province. In Taiwan province, there are 74 temples dedicated to the Motherly Matriarch, 39 of which have a reliable history as to their origin and development. Among these temples, two were constructed in the Ming dynasty and 37 in the Qing dynasty. It is said that the Motherly Matriarch was born on the 23rd day of the third lunar month, a day when memorial activities such as worshiping rituals and parades of Motherly Matriarch statues would be held by the different temples dedicated to the Motherly Matriarch, among which the temple in Putian, Fujian province and Chaotian temple in Beigang, Taiwan were most influential. Even today, worship for the Motherly Matriarch remains prosperous in terms of the number of believers as well as the scale of its rituals.
