The Study On Mazu Worship From The Sexual And Cultural Perspectives

Mazu worship originated in Putian, Fujian Province at Song Dynasty. Mazu was a goddess who had many priesthoods, such as helping hopeless people on the sea, preventing wars, resisting drought and flood and giving power to women preparing for pregnancy. At first she was just a human being, but years later, she became a royal goddess named ’The Queen of Heaven’, and now she has become a spiritual link between mainland and overseas with the development of Chinese navigation.The first chapter introduces the basic features of Mazu including her life story, the characteristics of Mazu worship and the background of Putian’s geography and history.The second chapter discusses how gender influences Mazu worship. The Chinese character ’Nv’ has a meaning beyond gender, but men’s authority didn’t disappear in the adoring activities which is inescapable for goddesses in the federal society, though the female believers had their own secret activities.The third chapter discusses how the Chinese culture influences Mazu worship. The female ideas of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism greatly influenced the development of Mazu worship, and because of the interaction of Yin and Yang, the traditional deities was replaced by Mazu who was knighted a national goddess.The fourth chapter gives some cultural thinking about Mazu worship. It’s not the result of feminism, because women didn’t get more rights in the feudal society. Mazu worship modeled the likeness and character of women before, and now it offers a good platform for people in Taiwan and the mainland to know each other.This study will help people to know more about Mazu, and trying to improve the development between men and women through discussing the historical status of them. Meanwhile, as the spiritual link, the cooperation between mainland and Taiwan will be strengthened, and the society will be more harmonious.