The Original Temple of Mazu (Mazu Zumiao), located on the Meizhou Island in southeast China's Fujian Province, is where the Mazu Culture originated. The temple complex is regarded as the most important of the 5,000 Mazu temples around the world by the 200 million Mazu adherents. In their minds Meizhou Island is not unlike the Eastern Mecca.
 

Pilgrims and tourists visit the Original Temple of Mazu. A significant composition of Chinese traditional culture, the Mazu Culture has played a spectacular role in securing the cohesion of the Chinese nation with a special affinity among people of the Southeast Asian countries and regions. On Taiwan Island around 20 million people are Mazu adherents. Annually 100,000 visitors from Taiwan visit and worship on Meizhou Island.
 

Mazu is the legendary Goddess of Sea. Mazu, named Lin Mo in fact, was born in 960 and died in 987 in a marine disaster. Later generations built temples to commemorate her and canonized her to be Mazu, a guide to a peaceful and safe life, particularly for those living in coastal locations.
 

Meizhou Island, the hometown of Mazu, is a state-level tourist resort under the jurisdiction of Putian in southeast Fujian Province.

(China.org.cn June 21, 2006)