From The "temples" And "imperial Will" See Changes Tianjin Mazu Belief

Mazu is the most influential patron deity of the sea in China, the worship of whom originated from Meizhou Island in Putian City, Fujian Province. Mazu belief and customs is a folk culture dedicated to worship and praise Mazu’s grace, benevolence, and philanthropy, with Mazu palaces and temples as the major venue of various activities, and manifested in relevant customs and temple fairs. With many Chinese nationals living abroad, the belief and customs has spread from the southeastern coastal areas of China to neighboring areas in Southeast Asia, as well as migrant communities throughout the world with sizeable populations from these areas. In2009, the Mazu belief and customs was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is China’s first world-class intangible cultural heritage.Mazu’s incense flame was brought to Taiwan, probably during the reign of Yuan emperor. During its wide spread in Tianjin, Mazu was granted more and more power to solve the practical problems and gradually turned into an omnipotent goddess from a patron deity of the sea; Mazu worship have been integrating with the local folk-customs in Tianjin, resulting in the special Tianjin Mazu culture which takes the Mazu Temple and "Huang Hui"(the temple fair of Tianjin) as it core. Being the center of the Mazu Worship in the north of China, Tianjin Mazu Temple in the history spontaneously hold the temple fair to celebrate the birthday of Mazu and this fair in the following became more and more influential with the support of the government and known as the "most fantastic festival" around China in the modern times.This thesis consists of four sections. The introduction gives a brief review of the existing studies on Mazu. The first chapter focuses on when and why Mazu Workship was brought to Tianjin, based on the existing studies, this section confirms the statement that the East Tianjin Mazu Temple was built earlier than the West Tianjin Mazu Temple. The second chapter presents a detailed description of the Tianjin Mazu Temple and shows how the Tianjin Mazu Temple is closely related to much Tianjin customs. In the end of the chapter two, the conclusion that Mazu in Tianjin has become an omnipotent goddess from a patron deity of the sea is also drawn based on these facts. Chapter3first gives a comparison of the "Huang Hui" in the history and nowadays, and then shows that the "Huang Hui" in nowadays becomes an important cultural bond that promotes family harmony, social concord, and the social identity of the Chinese people around the world. Chapter4focuses on how to protect Mazu culture. In the conclusion, the importance of the protection and the inheritage of Mazu culture is emphasized once again.