China hopes Mazu, a sea goddess, can help it win over Taiwan
She is said to have cured people of disease, so unification should be easy
The sleepy town of Yuanlin in central Taiwan is transformed when Mazu passes through. The maiden-turned-goddess lived in southern China during the tenth century—and, according to legend, used her mystical powers to save relatives from a shipwreck. Despite her roots in the mainland, she is widely worshipped in Taiwan. Each year her statue is carried across the island on a multi-day tour. In Yuanlin she was greeted by firecrackers and prostrate devotees. One woman burst into tears. Mazu healed her from cancer and protected her from covid-19, she says.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Mazu for the motherland”
From the June 17th 2023 edition
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