Folklore Friday: Sea Goddess MaZu

Hey guys, welcome to Learn Feng Shui, where you'll learn Feng Shui from a classical point of view taken out the myth and superstition. If you like weekly tips as well as fun folklore tales, you'll enjoy learning Feng Shui with me. Hey guys, we're going to folklore Friday. Today we're going to talk about the Chinese patron saint of the sea or the goddess of the sea MaZu. So this story is from TaoSourcery.blogspot.com.

Of course, this is the legend of MaZu and sometimes she's called Lin Mo. In this case, she's referred to as Lin Mo. It is said here that she was given the name Silent Maiden or Mo Nyang also because she was such a perfect child. She was born ever since the day she was born. She never cried.

She didn't create any trouble. She was just this beautiful baby, you know, and it was stated that Lin Mo had to give to predicting weather and other supernatural abilities. So it was also said that she would, I guess leave her tapestry and when she was leaving her tapestry, she would go into a trance. So the first time this happened, though, she was leaving her tapestry at home. And the events took her to, I guess, is unclear as to whether it's her father or brother, but here I'll just say father for an easier reference.

So she used her spiritual powers to transport herself and you know, she saw them being drowns bad weather. And so she actually rescued them and she was swimming homeward as with her father clenched in her teeth when her mother noticed that Lin Mo was slipped over. And she thought she was ill so her mother woke her. But when Lin Mo's trance was broken, her father actually drowned. And Lin Mo walked into the sea and found her father.

And as is returning three days later with his body, so he could be buried at home. One legend states that when she was 28 years old, she is sent to heaven and became a goddess. And another states that when she was 28, there was huge storm. There were recommissioned boats and trading vessels off the coast of Fuhon where she was from. It says that she took a small boat and rescued many of them, but eventually succumbed herself to the waves and died.

But then she rose up and became a goddess. After she became a goddess, Marine folklore is filled with tales of catastrophe, a verdict by the goddess of Mazu dressed in red appearing to sailor as a warning that unseen storm for arising and that their voyages would be postponed or guiding law ships to safety rescuing them from storms and of course shipwreck. So I think this is really interesting. I actually learned the other day that Chinese culture believes that if you die when you're dressed in red, that you will come back as a ghost. So very interesting that she herself is dressed in red.

It is also said that the Chinese believe that red gives life to something. And so a lot of times, that's why you see red being used in different ceremonies, you know, being hung, you know, on those tapestries for the lunar new year. And of course they like to put red on Feng Shui items. And I also recently learned if you do use a Feng Shui item, if you place red on it, the Chinese believe that that is what gives it life and gives it the activation. So if you do want to use a Feng Shui item or if you use these items, try putting a red ribbon on it said to activate it.

So again, being this child that was, you know, very pleasant to be around, never cry, this silent maiden of a child. She was also said to have helped people since she was very young. So it says by the age of eight one day, while she was out in the sea side waiting for her father to return from sailing. And elegant lady approach her and past her a few books of unknown writings and diagrams upon getting a hold of these books. She was puzzled, but after getting some advice from the lady, she accepted and promised the lady she would study all the information in the books and understand all the diagrams.

It says by the age of 16, she was actually able to use those skills mentioned in the unknown books to assist needy in her hometown. And at the age of 28, of course, she got a dream from the elegant lady and after getting advice, she decided to leave home and send to the highest peak in her hometown. So that's another account of how she ascended to her, her deity. So Ma Zoo is usually depicted together with two guardian generals known as Chang Lee Young. Eyes that see a thousand miles and a shun fin urses.

They are two demons whom Ma Zoo conquered and took as her assistance. It kind of reminds me of on walking dead when that character of Michonne had these two zombies on the chains. That's what that reminds me of. So the worshipping of Ma Zoo. Starting in Fuhon, the practice of worshipping Ma Zoo spreads to neighboring coastal provinces and coastal areas because of course she's associated with being the patron saint of ships.

And it says it's now spread further to Taekwondo via Ngaon, Ryu, Japan, which I've actually visited and a southeast Asia. So the rule of Ma Zoo as Patriot goddess of the sea ensures that newly arrived immigrants often erect their temple first to her to give thanks for arriving safely. So I think that's pretty awesome to honor her in that way. And Taoism, according to the Taoist scripture, that is the one and only official Taoist scripture that is dedicated to Ma Zoo herself. And it stated that she's actually the manifestation of the energy from the great North Dipper star.

So the Lady of Mortal, it says here, which is overcome multiple testing obstacles before gaining her immortal hood. So again, there's that North Dipper. I keep seeing that as a theme within the Chinese astrology. So I guess navigate on the North Star. And so they of course pay a big respect to that.

And they base a lot of their different astrology off of this constellation. So if you're thinking of traveling especially by sea, maybe going on a cruise or something like that, you may want to offer up a prayer to the sea goddess Ma Zoo. And I'll put a link here of course to the Taoist sorcery and they sell protection talismans with Ma Zoo if you would like to get one. Be sure to support the podcast by hitting that subscribe button and sharing with your family and friends who you think may be interested as well as leaving a review. If you'd like to learn more about fun showing Chinese metaphysics, visit my website at funchoybikandis.com