Source: CCTV.com

04-10-2008 16:25

Sailors in any country tend to be a superstitious lot. It is perhaps all to do with the dangers associated with putting to sea. If you were to go to China’s southeastern coastal regions and ask the local seamen about their superstitions, one name that would be bound to come up is Mazu. According to folk tradition, anyone who found themselves in danger at sea, would only have to call out the name ‘Mazu!’ and she’d come to the rescue. However, the belief in Mazu is not confined to the southeast – or even to China, come to that. As the goddess of the sea, she is one of the most popular deities in the world. She is said to have as many as 100 million devotees and 1,500 temples in no fewer than 26 countries. This brand new series traces the fascinating story of Mazu, the girl born to an ordinary Chinese fisherman’s family, who became a goddess.

 

Editor:Liu Fang