Liuhe Mazu Festival

Jiangsu
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Mazu beliefs and customs have a wide influence. The Mazu worship ritual is mainly popular in the Liuhe area of Taicang. Liuhe is adjacent to the Yangtze River in the east, facing Chongming Island across the river, and adjacent to Baoshan and Jiading in the south. It is a famous ancient port and water transportation hub in China. It was already known as the "Six Countries Wharf" in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. Liuhe is famous because Zheng He set sail from here for seven voyages to the West during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty. Mazu belief is related to its geographical location. Liuhe was famous for its riverside fishing village during the Jin and Tang dynasties. In the Jingyou period of the Song Dynasty (1034-1038), Fan Zhongyan, the governor of Suzhou, personally visited Liuhe, opened Qianjing, dug the Liecao, and connected Loujiang, which led to the development of the fishing village into a market. Since then, sea transportation has become increasingly prosperous and gradually became a major trading port. A large number of fishermen and merchants have poured in, and as a spiritual sustenance, Liuhe has the "Lingji Palace", the earliest temple dedicated to Mazu in the Yangtze River estuary area, and Mazu culture has been introduced to Liuhe. After that, the canal transportation was opened up and had to go to the sea through Liuhe River. The canal transportation fleet would offer sacrifices to Mazu every time for protection, and this continued in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, making Mazu culture well-known and deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Every year on Mazu's birthday, Mazu's ascension day and Mazu Lantern Festival, worship ceremonies of varying sizes are held. The ceremony is held in the sleeping hall of Tianfei Palace and is hosted by Tianfei Palace. A large number of people participate in the worship, including not only local Mazu believers, but also believers from Baoshan, Jiading, Suzhou, Kunshan, Taicang Floating Bridge, Ludu and other places in Shanghai. The activities mainly include Jiangnan silk and bamboo performances, lighting candles and incense, offering flowers and fruits, chanting prayers, burning prayers, and performing grand ceremonies. After the worship, a temple fair is usually held, with folk art performances such as stilts, dragon dance, lion dance, big banner, middle banner, treasure chariot, lantern, temple, lake boat, flying fork, juggling, stunts, pole climbing, "Ten Sisters Dance", etc. The belief in Mazu has been integrated into the daily life of the people and passed down from generation to generation. The grand temple fairs, living customs and folk legends passed down from generation to generation are all admiration and praise for the spirit of Mazu and the unremitting pursuit of the beautiful ideals of mankind. It shows its characteristics of folk, affinity and inclusiveness. Liuhe has the intangible cultural heritage of Mazu worship rituals, as well as related material remains such as Mazu, grain transport and Zheng He's voyages to the West. Liuhe Mazu worship rituals record the Mazu belief customs in the Jiangnan area and have historical value; they have scientific value for studying the development history of Taicang Liuhe, maritime history, trade history, etc.; the worship rituals and many folk arts carried by the temple fairs have artistic aesthetic value.

Intangible culture related to the heritage

China tourist attractions related to the heritage

World heritage related to the heritage