Zhanjiang Mazu Procession Changes Medium, Consequences Are Severe

File Photo: On April 23, 2023, during the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage in Changhua, Taiwan, people knelt beneath the palanquin carrying the statue of the sea goddess Mazu. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

[People News] In recent days, mainland websites and social media have been focused on the incident involving the change of the medium for Mazu in Shishi Village, Donghai Island, Zhanjiang, Guangdong. This local custom involves carrying the Mazu statue through the streets every year on the second day of the Lunar New Year, as it is believed to bless the village with good weather and prosperity.

During the procession, since the statue cannot move, a girl designated by Mazu must accompany it, known as the 'medium' (乩童). Shishi Village selected a girl through a process that included recommendations from villagers, discussions among village elders, and casting the sacred cup (one upright and one inverted). It is reported that this girl has been recognised by the deity for six consecutive years and has participated in the procession multiple times.

However, this year, the sponsor of the procession, a businessman named Xu, forcibly replaced the medium with his own son, leveraging his financial support. Consequently, the boy failed to receive the deity's recognition after casting the sacred cup eight times in a row. According to tradition, if the ninth attempt also fails, it is considered a very bad omen. Additionally, it was noted that the sedan chair carrying the statue could not be lifted by more than a dozen strong men.

'Casting the sacred cup' refers to the practice of throwing divination blocks, a traditional Taoist folk belief ritual that is widely practised in Fujian, Guangdong (especially in the Chaoshan region), and Taiwan. This ritual is used for communication between humans and deities. After stating their personal information and inquiries in front of the statue in temples or at home, people use a pair of wooden crescent-shaped divination blocks to cast and determine the deity's guidance on their requests.

One flat and one convex indicates the 'Holy Cup,' signifying permission; two flats represent the 'Laughing Cup,' which requires a rethrow; and two convexes denote the 'Yin Cup,' indicating denial. In certain regions, three consecutive 'Holy Cups' are regarded as a clear sign from the deity.

The little boy threw the dice eight times without a single 'Holy Cup' appearing. Both the participants and the onlookers understood that this meant Mazu did not approve of the medium. The occurrence of such an anomaly frightened the villagers, and the Xu family was also concerned about potential punishment, prompting them to invite the girl back.

Initially, the girl was very upset because she knew someone had impersonated her to get on the sedan chair, and she refused to participate. However, it is said that under pressure and threats from the Xu family, she tearfully agreed to get on the chair, while the boy stood to the side. The girl successfully threw a 'Holy Cup' once, and the sedan chair was smoothly lifted. The procession concluded successfully. The girl returned home in tears, supported by her mother. One of her remarks is particularly thought-provoking: 'If you are not sincere, why do you insist on my going?'

From ancient times to the present, the gods and Buddhas have always observed the human heart. Mazu's differing attitudes towards boys and girls—could this be a manifestation of divine will? Those who sincerely worship Mazu believe so. Why do people have such deep faith in Mazu? What miraculous signs have been recorded in history?

Mazu is a respectful title given by the people of Fujian to their female ancestor, whose birth name is Lin Mo Niang. She was from the Northern Song Dynasty, born in Meizhou, Putian, Xinhua, Fujian. Her father, Lin Que, and mother, Wang Shi, were devout believers in gods and Buddhas, and they were known for their charity. One night, Wang Shi dreamed of Guanyin Bodhisattva bestowing a pill, and shortly thereafter, she became pregnant. In March of the first year of the Jianlong era of the Northern Song Dynasty (960 AD), she gave birth to a baby girl. Since the baby did not cry at all until she was a month old, she was named 'Mo Niang.'

Mo Niang began her education in a private school during her childhood, where she could recite the Four Books and Five Classics fluently and intuitively grasp their meanings. At the age of ten, she became devoted to Buddhism, burning incense morning and night. By thirteen, she met the Daoist Xuantong, who personally taught her the 'Xuanwei Secret Method,' enabling her to cultivate and attain enlightenment. At sixteen, she obtained a copper talisman from an immortal by a well, which imparted the techniques for true cultivation and attaining the Dao. From that point on, Mo Niang was able to display divine powers, vanquish demons, predict the weather, and rescue victims of maritime disasters on multiple occasions. When she turned twenty-one, during a drought, local officials entrusted her to pray for rain from the heavens, resulting in a bountiful downpour that further endeared her to the villagers.

On the ninth day of the ninth month in the fourth year of the Yongxi era of Emperor Taizong of Song (AD 987), during the Double Ninth Festival, Mo Niang bid farewell to her family and ascended Meifeng, flying to the heavens amidst celestial music and divine attendants. For several hundred years thereafter, fishermen and sailors have reported sightings of Mazu manifesting at sea, protecting ships as they safely navigated through storms. Emperors of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, in admiration of Mazu's compassionate heart and her acts of kindness, bestowed numerous titles upon her, such as 'Niangniang,' 'Furen,' 'Tianfei,' 'Tianhou,' and 'Tianshang Shengmu,' among others.

The belief in Mazu gradually expanded from Meizhou Island to coastal regions such as Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, the Jiaodong Peninsula, and Tianjin, and later spread to Taiwan, Ryukyu, mainland Japan, Singapore, and other areas through the migration of people from these regions. Today, the followers of Mazu are spread across five continents, covering 47 countries and regions, with more than 300 million believers.

I once came across an intriguing story online: In a certain year, when a senior official in Fujian took office, there was a ceremony that required department heads to stand before a statue of Mazu and swear to "serve the public with integrity and accept the supervision of the people." However, the department heads hesitated to step forward. Eventually, after discussions with the organisational department, the ceremony was changed to an oath taken with their hands on the constitution. The department heads, feeling relieved, confidently walked up to the stage, holding the constitution, and solemnly took their oath.

The officials in Fujian fear Mazu; they are unwilling to swear in front of her statue but are willing to do so in front of the Communist Party's constitution. This situation is steeped in irony: the officials in Fujian have long realised that they will never serve the public with integrity, nor will they accept the supervision of the people. They believe that lying in front of Mazu would surely lead to retribution. This reflects their deep reverence for Mazu, while swearing in front of the Communist Party's constitution does not carry the same psychological weight. In other words, taking an oath in front of the Communist Party's constitution is not just a mere performance for them.

Undoubtedly, the personnel change incident in Zhanjiang is a serious issue for Mazu worshippers in Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong. A local resident commented on this incident: "In the vast fields, Mazu's chosen ones still dare to swap pillars. Stealing this kind of incense will bring retribution upon the descendants of the Xu family. Furthermore, this is Zhanjiang in Guangdong, not our Fujian. We Fujian people would not dare to do such a thing. When Liu Tao wanted to film a TV series about Mazu, he had to go to Meizhou Island and get Mazu's consent to participate. Here, during the Lantern Festival, it is Mazu who leads the village. If you deceive the deities, just wait for your retribution."

Additionally, some netizens have reported that business figures from Fujian and Guangdong have openly declared that they will never engage in business with Boss Xu, who is seen as lacking integrity and deceiving the divine. This is likely something Boss Xu did not foresee. The revelation of this incident also poses a challenge to atheists, prompting them to reflect: if there truly are gods and Buddhas in this world, what would be the fate of those who follow the malevolent Chinese Communist Party?

(First published by People News) △