Meizhou Island | Millennium Morning Worship and the Sound of Tides, A Journey to the Mazu Ancestral Temple

🎋 The Meizhou Mazu Ancestral Temple, located on Meizhou Island in Putian City, Fujian Province, is recognized as the birthplace of Mazu faith. It was first built in the fourth year of the Yongxi era of the Northern Song Dynasty and is the world's first Mazu temple.

🌊 The temple, stone carvings, and the sea complement each other. Its unique architectural art, profound cultural heritage, and magnificent mountain and sea scenery attract numerous visitors.

🏮 The incense smoke rises endlessly for a thousand years; the tides ebb and flow, witnessing devotion. The Meizhou Mazu Ancestral Temple carries the prayers for safety from millions of sailors and their families.

🎊 Must-visit scenic spots
1️⃣ 323-step Heavenly Ladder: From the mountain gate to the main hall, the 323 steps blend the blue sea and sky beneath the Mazu statue. The 14-meter-tall giant stone statue holds a jade ruyi scepter, gazing kindly at the sea, as if guarding every ship sailing afar.

2️⃣ Morning Bell and Evening Drum: The morning worship ceremony at 6 a.m. follows the grandmothers lighting incense and arranging fruits. Amid the swirling smoke, even the sea breeze carries a sincere warmth.

3️⃣ Red Walls and Golden Tiles: The carved beams and painted rafters of the main hall, the colorful sculptures of the Thousand-Mile Eye and the With-the-Wind Ear, and the nautical elements like the anchor relief... every detail tells the legend of Mazu "protecting voyages and helping the world."

Post by Noemie Casper | Oct 20, 2025