為達最佳瀏覽效果,建議使用 Chrome、Firefox 或 Microsoft Edge 的瀏覽器。

請至Edge官網下載 請至FireFox官網下載 請至Google官網下載
晴時多雲

限制級
您即將進入之新聞內容 需滿18歲 方可瀏覽。
根據「電腦網路內容分級處理辦法」修正條文第六條第三款規定,已於網站首頁或各該限制級網頁,依台灣網站分級推廣基金會規定作標示。 台灣網站分級推廣基金會(TICRF)網站:http://www.ticrf.org.tw

《TAIPEI TIMES》Matsu statue in 13,000km trip to Yunlin County

Wei Yu-hsun, chairman of Mar Tzu Temple in Cape Town, South Africa, holds a statue of Matsu during a pilgrimage to the Beigang Chaotian Temple in Yunlin County on Wednesday last week.
Photo: CNA

Wei Yu-hsun, chairman of Mar Tzu Temple in Cape Town, South Africa, holds a statue of Matsu during a pilgrimage to the Beigang Chaotian Temple in Yunlin County on Wednesday last week. Photo: CNA

2022/07/13 03:00

/ Staff writer, with CNA

A statue of the sea goddess Matsu has completed a 13,000km journey from Cape Town, South Africa, to Yunlin County, returning home to Beigang Chaotian Temple for the first time in nine years.

The Cape Town Matsu came back to Taiwan to perform Yezu (謁祖), a type of pilgrimage where an enshrined icon revisits its original temple in a ceremony featuring lion dances and fireworks.

Wei Yu-hsun (韋佑勳), chairman of Mar Tzu Temple in Cape Town, said temple staff had asked the icon in mid-February if she wished to visit to perform Yezu, with the goddess expressing agreement.

While COVID-19 flight changes and cancelations created some uncertainty around the trip, the Cape Town Matsu eventually arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday last week, Wei said.

The Cape Town Matsu has not performed Yezu since 2002, one year after the South African temple was built, he said.

Taiwanese expatriates, fishers and religious acolytes in South Africa founded the Cape Town temple by asking the Beigang Matsu to share her spirit and power, he added.

The temple is active in the local community, working with charity groups to serve free meals and donating supplies to a nursing home, Wei said.

In addition to Cape Town, the Beigang Matsu has temples in more than 20 nations, including Japan, the US, Australia and Malaysia, Beigang Chaotian Temple said.

Matsu, also known as Tian Hou (天后, Queen of Heaven), is a deity who has been worshiped for protecting fishers and seafarers in Chinese communities since at least the 12th century.

Over the centuries, belief in Matsu spread throughout China’s coastal regions and overseas Chinese communities, eventually reaching Taiwan via Chinese settlers during the late Ming Dynasty.

新聞來源:TAIPEI TIMES

不用抽 不用搶 現在用APP看新聞 保證天天中獎  點我下載APP  按我看活動辦法

焦點今日熱門
看更多!請加入自由時報粉絲團

網友回應

載入中
此網頁已閒置超過5分鐘,請點擊透明黑底或右下角 X 鈕。