Goddess Ma-Zu(妈祖） was born on 23rd Day of 3rd Lunar Month 960 CE
(during the Song Dynasty 宋朝) as the seventh daughter of Lin Yuan (林愿) on
Meizhou Island (湄洲岛), Fujian. - 福建路莆田县湄洲岛东螺村（宋太宗年间曾改为兴化军）.
Her surname is Lin(林) and her name is Mo(默) and is also known as Lin Mo
Niang (林默娘). Since the day she was born, she never cried and never
creates trouble, thus she was given the name with the meaning "Silent
Maiden" - Mo Niang (默娘).
At the age of 28 years old, on the 9th Day of 9th Lunar Month 987 CE, Mo
Niang (默娘) was ascended to the Heaven at the Highest Peak of her
hometown in Fujian Mei Zhou Island (湄洲岛).
Legend stated that Lin Mo had the gift of predicting the weather and
super natural abilities (In ancient Fujian, folks were shamans and
practitioners of witchcraft).
Lin Mo was at home weaving a tapestry when she fell into a trance,
"seeing" the events that were taking her kin to a watery grave. She
used her spiritual powers to transport herself to their sides.
Propelling her elder brother (or father) to safety, she returned to
rescue her father (or brother).
She was swimming homeward with her father clenched firmly between her
teeth, when her mother noticed that Lin Mo, was slumped over her
weaving. Believing she was ill, her concerned mother woke her. Lin
Mo's trance was broken and her father drowned. Lin Mo walked into the
sea and found her father, returning three days later with his body so he
could be buried at home.
One legend stated when she was 28 years old, she ascended to heaven and
became a goddess, and another legend stated that when she was 28 years
old, a huge storm wrecked many fishing boats and trading vessels off
the coast of Fujian, Mazu took a small boat, and rescued many of them,
but eventually she herself succumbed to the waves and died and soon
rose up to become a goddess.
After Lin niang (林默) became goddess, marine folklore is filled with
tales of catastrophes averted when the goddess Ma-Zu, dressed in red,
appeared to sailors as a warning that unseen storms were rising and that
their voyages should be postponed, or guiding lost ships to safety, or
even rescuing sailors from storms and shipwrecks.
Stories had been told that many seamen has recounted times when the
goddess Ma-Zu appeared as a bright light on their troubled ships,
arriving just in time to calm a storm and save their lives. Some said
that Lin Mo could ride clouds across the ocean, and appear in the flesh
to rescue them.
Between 1119 and 1126, Lu Yundi (路允迪) was caught in a dangerous storm while on a voyage to Korea.
It was said that her spirit descended in the mast and saved him.
Mazu is usually depicted together with two guardian generals known as Qian Li Yan (千里眼
) - "Eyes that see thousand miles" and Shun Feng Er (順风耳
) . They are two demons whom Mazu conquered and took them as her assistants.
Starting from Fujian, the practice of worshipin
g Mazu spreads to
the neighboring coastal provinces of Zhejiang and Guangdong, and thence
to all coastal areas of mainland China. With emigration and especially
the Chinese diaspora of the 19th and 20th centuries, it further spread
to Taiwan, Vietnam, Ryukyu, Japan, and South East Asia. The role of Mazu
as patron goddess of the sea ensured that newly arrived immigrants
often erected temples to her first, to give thanks for arriving safely.
In Taoism, Ma-Zu is address as Tian Shang Sheng Mu(天上聖母).
According to Taoist Scripture, the Only & Official Taoist Scripture
dedicating to Ma Zu, is known as Tai Shang Lao Jun Shuo Tian Fei Jiu Ku
Ling Yan Jing (太上老君说天妃救苦灵验经). It is stated that Ma Zu was the
Manifestation of the Energy from the Great North Dipper Star Group into a
Lady Immortal (known as Miao Xing Yu Nü (妙行玉女) which had overcome
multiple testing & obstacles before gaining her Immortal-hood.
After which, Miao Xing Yu Nü was called upon by the Supreme Lord (道德天尊)
to the gathering for the appointment of the task to descend into the
Mortal Realm to perform the necessary Salvation for the Suffering
Beings.
Upon getting the appointment, Miao Xing Yu Nü made her Sincerest &
Greatest Vow of ceasing of ALL Sufferings before she returned back to
the Celestial Realm again and so, upon getting the Vow, Miao Xing Yu Nü
was being sent off to get her Re-incarnation aka Manifestated into
Mortal at Song Dynasty Jia Shen Year 23rd Day of Lunar 3 Month (AD
960宋朝建隆元年农历三月廿三日) in the Lin Family (降生莆田湄洲岛林家之中) – given Maiden Name as
Lin Mo or Lin Mo Niang (林默/林默娘).
Since young, Mo Niang had been going around to assist the Needy, regardless of strangers or people she knew.
By the age of 8, one day while Mo Niang was out in the Sea-side to
waiting for her father to return from the Sailing, a Elegant Lady
approached her and passed her a few Books on Unknown Writings &
Diagrams. Upon getting hold of the Books, Mo Niang was puzzled but after
getting some advises from the Lady, Mo Niang accepted and promised the
Lady to study all the information in the Books and understand the
Diagrams.
By the age of 16, Mo Niang was able to use the Skills that mentioned in the Unknown Books to assist more Needy in her Hometown.
At the age of 28, on the 8th Night of Lunar 9 Month, Mo Niang got a
dream from the Elegant Lady again, this time round Mo Niang finally knew
who she was – Zi Guang Fu Ren (紫光夫人). After getting the advises from Zi
Guang Fu Ren, Mo Niang decided to leave home on the 9th Day of Lunar 9
Month to gain her Immortal-hood at the Highest Peak in her hometown.
On Song Dynasty AD 987, 9th Day of Lunar 9 Month (宋雍熙四年九月初九日得道), Mo
Niang got her Immortal-hood and was summoned back to the Celestial Realm
to receive her Official Title before she was being sent back to the
Mortal Realm to assist the Needy again.
