Mazu

| s2 = | p2 = Māzǔpó | w2 = Ma tsu3 p'o | poj2 = Má-chó͘ -pô | tl2 = Má-tsóo-pô　 | buc2 = Mă-cū-bò̤ | y2 = Māa Jóu pòh | j2 = Maa1 Zou2 po4 | l2 = Granny Mazu | altname3 = Queen of Heaven | c3 = | p3 = Tiānhòu | w3 = T'ien-hou4 | poj3 = Thian-hiō | tl3 = Thian-hiō | buc3 = Tiĕng-hâiu | y3 = Tīn hauh | j3 = Tin1 hau6 | l3 = CelestialEmpress | altname4 = Heavenly Consort | c4 = | p4 = Tiānfēi | w4 = T'ien-fei | poj4 = Thian-hui | tl4 = Thian-hui | buc4 = Tiĕng-hĭ | y4 = Tīn fēi | j4 = Tin1 fei1 | l4 = CelestialConsort | altname5 = Holy Heavenly Mother | t5 = | s5 = | p5 = Tiānshàng Shèngmǔ | w5 = T'ien shang4 sheng4 mu3 | poj5 = Thian-siōng sèng-bó͘ | tl5 = Thian-siōng sìng-bó | buc5 = Tiĕng-siông séng-mō̤ | y5 = Tīn seuhng sing móuh | j5 = Tin1 soeng6 sing3 mou4 | l5 = }}

Mazu or Matsu is a sea goddess in Chinese folk religion, Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. She is also known by several other names and titles. Mazu is the deified form of Lin Moniang (|poj=Lîm Be̍k-niû / Lîm Bia̍k-niû / Lîm Be̍k-niô͘|p=Lín Mòniáng}}), a shamaness from Fujian who is said to have lived in the late 10th century. After her death, she became revered as a tutelary deity of Chinese seafarers, including fishermen and sailors.

Her worship spread throughout China's coastal regions and overseas Chinese communities throughout Southeast Asia, where some Mazuist temples are affiliated with famous Taiwanese temples. Mazu was traditionally thought to roam the seas, protecting her believers through miraculous interventions. She is now generally regarded by her believers as a powerful and benevolent Queen of Heaven.

Mazu worship is popular in Taiwan because many early Chinese settlers in Taiwan were Hoklo people from Fujian. Her temple festival is a major event in Taiwan, with the largest celebrations occurring in and around her temples at Dajia and Beigang.

Provided by Wikipedia