The existence of numerous religious circles in the early times reflects one thing: the early Chinese settlers, faced with an unfamiliar, challenging environment, found it necessary to combine their efforts with their kinsfolk in order to survive. United by the same provincial and family origins, they settled down in one place and used the power of religion to form a close-knit community to fend for themselves.

But as time went on, these immigrants gradually became adapted to the local environment, and the different communities they belonged to began merging into an interdependent society. During the process, a common religious belief was needed to create a sense of identity and solidarity among the people. Matsu, the goddess of the sea, thus gradually became the most important deity in Taiwan.

Opinions are widely divided about the origin of Matsu. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism all have their versions of such a deity. Some even hold that she is a reincarnated Kuan Yin Bodhisattva. In recent years, however, more and more scholars have come to an agreement that the legend of the goddess originated during the Sung Dynasty (960_1279) in Fujian Province.

From early on, the belief in Matsu has been tremendously influenced by Buddhism and Taoism. In Taiwan, there are both Buddhist and Taoist rituals pertaining to the worship of the sea goddess. According to Hsu Shih-neng of the Peikang Cultural Workshop, back in the Ching Dynasty (1644_1911) larger Matsu temples in Taiwan were usually presided over by Buddhist monks, but nowadays worshippers of the goddess generally adhere to Taoist rituals.

“Spirit division”

Taiwan has more than 500 temples and shrines dedicated to Matsu. One religious practice common among them is especially interesting: “spirit division.”

In this practice, representatives from small, local temples or newly built ones go to larger, well-known Matsu temples to obtain incense ash or statues of the goddess, which they then carry back in formal processions. The temples from which the smaller temples, also known as branch temples, obtain incense ash or statues are called “mother temples.” The Chaotien Temple in Peikang, southern Taiwan, is one such famous mother temple for Matsu worshippers. Actually, the spirit division practice is not limited only to the worship of Matsu. Devotees of Kuan Yin and other Taoist deities also follow this tradition. But it is especially noteworthy in the case of Matsu, because, due to the practice, a large Matsu “family tree” has formed, which shows a clear hierarchical relationship among different temples.

Not only temples, but even individuals who are interested in worshipping Matsu at home can obtain a statue of the goddess from a mother temple after winning permission from the goddess (through some kind of oracular procedure). The temples and individuals that have done so bring the statues back to the mother temples when the birthday of Matsu, which falls on the 23rd day of the third lunar month, is drawing near. Thus, every year after the Chinese New Year, long processions of worshippers gather before major temples, some devoutly holding statues of Matsu in their arms. All sorts of festivities are held in celebration of the occasion, reaching a climax on the goddess’s birthday.

It is generally believed that the statues of Matsu enshrined in mother temples possess greater supernatural power than those in branch temples. The statues obtained from mother temples have to return “home” every year to have their power enhanced with ash from incense burners at the mother temples. In the devotees’ minds, mother temples not only have greater supernatural power, but also enjoy higher rank than branch temples. If one traces the Matsu family tree, one finds that the temple that enjoys the highest status is Matsu’s home temple located on Meizhou Island, Fujian Province, because it is the one that “gave birth” to all the branch temples around the world. Meizhou Island has thus become a kind of Mecca for Matsu followers.

The first Matsu temple in Taiwan

For years, there have been endless disputes over the issue of which is the first Matsu temple in Taiwan. Almost every major temple has the inscription “The First Matsu Temple on the Island” engraved above their main entrance gates.

The temples that declare that they are the oldest must at least have a long-standing history. Thus, when one leafs over the chronicles published by these temples, one finds that many of them were founded in the late Ming Dynasty (1386_1644). Newer temples that cannot claim the status of being the first often claim that they were directly “descended” from the home temple on Meizhou Island in order to elevate their status and capability of granting their followers’ wishes.

Apparently, such disputes arose because of the hierarchical system resulting from the “spirit division” practice. Since, according to the system, the temples that are established earlier rank above those founded later, the earliest temple is sure to have supremacy over the rest; naturally local temples want to fight for the honor of being in first place, thus causing conflicts among them. Rivalry, for instance, has long existed between the Fengtien Temple in Hsinkang and the Chaotien Temple in Peikang, only about five kilometers (3 miles) apart, both arguing that they are Taiwan’s earliest Matsu temple.

A deity with multiple personalities

Because of the hierarchical system, the Matsu statues enshrined in different temples have different ranks. The temples that are on an equal level regard the statues they worship as “sisters.” The branch temples, on the other hand, call the statues in their mother temples “aunts.”

Sometimes even in the same temple, different statues have different positions and ranks. The Chaotien Temple in Peikang, for example, has a Great Matsu, Second Matsu, Guard Matsu, and numerous other Matsus.

“Because the statues in the Chaotien Temple are said to be very powerful in granting their followers’ wishes, many temples come here to borrow one so that they can worship it temporarily,” said Yang An-shun, who works for the Penkang Hehe Folk Development Association. “That’s why the Chaotien Temple keeps so many statues.”

For the devotees, different statues not only have different ranks, but also different duties and personalities. Great Matsu, for example, is in charge of the neighborhood, Second Matsu is responsible for the internal affairs of the Chaotien Temple, while Third Matsu is a helper of Great Matsu. Some worshippers say that they can clearly feel the temperament of each statue when they are praying to them or asking for their divine guidance. But different devotees may feel differently. One may say this statue is strict, while another says that she is in fact very kind.

For most of us, a religious statue should be a concrete medium through which we can be spiritually connected to the deity it represents. If this is true, behind every statue should be the same Matsu. However, this does not appear to be the case in Taiwan. One may wonder whether, in the eyes of her worshippers, Matsu is a deity or a combination of several deities.

In mainland China, where the worship of Matsu originated, the goddess does not have multiple personalities. Taiwan’s Matsu worship has apparently developed a special character of its own. According to Professor Wen Chen-hua of the History Department at National Taiwan Normal University, “The formation of the multiple personalities of Matsu was a result of the increase in the number of her worshippers. Taiwan was an agricultural society. As a sea goddess, Matsu had to multiply her functions in order to meet the needs of an agricultural society.”

Thus, as the circle of her followers expanded, Matsu gradually evolved from the patron saint of sailors and fishermen to an all-purpose deity who could come to the aid of anyone in need of help. People pray to her not only for a safe voyage at sea, but for other purposes as well. If their prayers are granted, their faith in her deepens, and they continue to worship her as a matter of course.

However, the popularity of Matsu worship in Taiwan cannot be explained only by the deity’s spiritual power. Yao Wen-chi, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History at Xiamen University, pointed out that the success of a religion usually depends on many factors. The organization of large-scale religious activities takes great social tact and good relationships with all circles of society. Take the Chenlan Temple in Tachia, central Taiwan, for example. Its board of directors, many of whom are political figures, has close ties with other religious circles around the temple and even with people from all walks of society. This has undoubtedly helped the temple to organize religious events and festivities to which large crowds of devotees are attracted.

The home temple in Meizhou

In 1987, communications between Taiwan and China were reopened after an interruption of several decades. Taiwan’s Matsu worshippers were again able to visit Meizhou Island, where the home temple of the goddess is situated. In the same year, representatives from the Chenlan Temple made a pilgrimage to Meizhou, the first since the separation between Taiwan and mainland China in 1949. The pilgrimage created quite a sensation at that time.

Because of the high status of the home temple in Meizhou, Taiwan’s temples naturally regard making pilgrimages there as a chance to increase the renown and power of their own statues. But these pilgrimages do not serve only religious purposes. According to Yao Wen-chi, the nature of the pilgrimages is changing and not as pure as before. “If we regard making a pilgrimage to Meizhou as the only way to increase the power of a Matsu statue, then how do we explain the phenomenon that for the past several decades, no temple in Taiwan had made any pilgrimage to Meizhou, and yet local worshippers still believed in the power of Matsu?” Yao said that Taiwanese devotees follow their statues to Meizhou not only because they want to be blessed, but also because they want to do a little sightseeing and engage in cultural exchange.

Actually, after the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966_1976), which challenged and demolished conventional Chinese tradition and culture, including religion, the center of Matsu worship obviously shifted to Taiwan. Even mainland Chinese scholars have come to agree with this, and yet Taiwan’s temples still show a great interest in making pilgrimages to Meizhou Island in an attempt to promote their status and to express their devotion to the goddess. This of course has to do with the “spirit division” tradition. As long as the practice exists, the home temple in Meizhou will always have the highest place and remain a Mecca for Matsu followers--even though the temple once lay in ruins and was almost non-existent after the ravages of the Cultural Revolution.

At the highest point on Meizhou Island there is a stone statue of Matsu that stands 40.5 meters (133 feet) in height. This statue stands far apart from, yet facing, another Matsu statue on the top of a building in the compound of the Chaotien Temple in Peikang, Taiwan. In name, the Chaotien Temple got its statue from the goddess’s home temple in Meizhou, but in truth, both statues were financed by the Chaotien Temple in Taiwan.

Looking down from the top of Meizhou, one can see temples and pagodas all over the island. All the temples in Meizhou were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, but now a large cluster of religious buildings have sprung up: monumental archways, squares, halls, pavilions, shrines…. Most of them were built with funds from temples in Taiwan.

If Taiwanese devotees hadn’t swarmed to Meizhou Island, if temples in Taiwan hadn’t contributed so generously to the reconstruction of temples in Meizhou, the worship of the goddess wouldn’t have been able to flourish in China. Thanks to the religious fervor in Taiwan, devotion to Matsu experienced a revival in China.

Religious fervor in Taiwan

It was the day the goddess Matsu was to launch her annual eight-day inspection tour along the western coast of Taiwan. Thousands upon thousands of devotees crammed into the grounds of Chenlan Temple. Worshippers surrounded a palanquin that held a statue of the goddess. After the bearers lifted the palanquin up onto their shoulders, crowds of people struggled to get close enough to touch it. According to legend, touching the palanquin will make one lucky for a whole year. Hence people swarmed toward it, hoping to be thus blessed.

Standing among the crowds that escort the statue, one cannot help but be touched by the passion and ardor of the worshippers. They might have encountered some difficulties in their lives and hope to get some inspiration and guidance from the goddess, or they might have just come in the hope that the goddess will bestow blessings on their families. Whatever the case, the devout expressions on their faces testify to the immense power religion has on people.