Why ceremonies honouring Chinese sea goddess Mazu spark concerns in Taiwan
Mazu has millions of worshippers on the mainland and in Taiwan, and has been promoted by Beijing as a ‘spiritual bond’ between the two sides
The goddess is revered as a protector of fishermen and sailors and has millions of worshippers in eastern and southeastern parts of the Chinese mainland as well as in Taiwan.
Last Wednesday, the authorities in Meizhou, a city in the mainland province of Fujian where Mazu is believed to have been born, staged a celebration to mark the 1,038th anniversary of her deification.
The event attracted more than 5,000 worshippers, including 600 from Taiwan, according to the island’s media.
It was followed by a tourist festival and cultural forum dedicated to Mazu on Sunday that was attended by more than 800 academics, officials, overseas business leaders and cultural representatives.
The authorities said the cult could serve as a “spiritual bond to unite the hearts and souls of overseas Chinese and promote mutual understanding and affinity across the [Taiwan] strait”.
However, before the celebrations, the Taiwanese Mainland Affairs Council warned that “so-called exchanges in a system with no religious freedom would have political purposes”.