Mazu's "crossing the sea" folk custom has lasted for more than 300 years

May 10 is the 1055th anniversary of Mazu's birth. On the morning of that day, the Mazu Tianhou Palace in Meilin Town, Nanjing County, Zhangzhou City was crowded with people and was very lively. The annual Tulou Mazu Folk Culture Festival was being held here, attracting thousands of believers and photography enthusiasts at home and abroad to participate.

At 9 a.m., the "head of the meeting" led the villagers to invite Mazu out of the local Tianhou Palace. More than 10 people took turns using "sedan chairs" to carry the statue of Mazu. The World Customs Network was in front of the drum and flag teams to open the way, followed by the lion dance team, the dragon art team, the big drum umbrella team and other infantry teams to patrol in Meilin Village, Meilin Town. Many villagers put up offerings and worship Mazu along the way.

The most exciting one is the "Mazu Crossing the Sea" ceremony. Locals call "Mazu Crossing the Sea""walking in the water" and praise Mazu for her achievements in bypassing the Ten Thousand Black Rock Reef and overcoming difficulties and obstacles. Early in the morning, hundreds of photography enthusiasts were waiting on the bank of Mazu Tianhou Palace. Thousands of believers and villagers surrounded the embankment to watch the "Mazu Crossing the Sea" ceremony.

"Mazu is here!" I saw young and strong men carrying "sedan chairs" and running towards the river at the head of the village. In the middle of the river, there were more than 20 villagers dressed up as shrimp soldiers, crab generals and water monsters, constantly pouring water into the sedan chairs, trying to stop the marching team. The sedan chair bearer rushed left and right, rushed through many obstacles, and headed straight for Tianhou Palace... The "Crossing the Sea" ceremony entered and exited three times, and the scene was quite spectacular. "Come every year. I have visited here seven times." Huang Guoshan, a Mazu believer in Putian, said with a smile that since he participated in the Tulou Mazu Cultural Festival for the first time in 2009, he will not miss it every year. In addition, the Meilin Mazu Cultural Festival is increasingly popular among believers and photography enthusiasts at home and abroad. According to reports, overseas believers who visit the Tianhou Palace in Meilin Town every year come from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and other places. They also donate money to repair the Tianhou Palace in Meilin.

It is understood that Meilin Village is located in the remote mountainous area of Nanjing County, and there are a large number of local Taiwanese compatriots and overseas Chinese. It is said that in ancient times, many local people crossed the sea together to Taiwan and Southeast Asia to make a living. Relatives who stayed behind in their homes "invited" Mazu, who was revered by coastal fishermen, back to the local area, and built Tianhou Palace to worship them to protect the safety and smooth development of relatives abroad and express their longing. As a result, relevant folk activities will be held locally around the anniversary of Mazu's birthday, which has lasted for more than 300 years.