Taiwan Pilgrims Flock to Meizhou

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 ◆ Taiwan Pilgrims Flock to Meizhou

In what Fujian Provincial officials predict to be the largest cross-Straits cultural exchange program, more than 1,200 pilgrims from Taiwan will flock to Mazu Temple on Meizhou Island this week to pay homage to the sea goddess, Mazu. Of the Taiwan worshippers, 800 will take a ship directly from Taiwan to Meizhou, while the rest will travel via Hong Kong and Xiamen. More than 10,000 other devotees from Fujian Province are also expected to join the three-day festival which opened yesterday. Ming Min, director of the Tourism Administration of Fujian Province, said the celebrations will focus on the Mazu religion, which is shared by millions of Chinese living around the world. "It will be a key activity to bridge the common worship of Mazu among people across the Taiwan Straits," said Ming. Mazu, who lived during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), was known for her ability to forecast the weather. People living along eastern coastal regions, especially fishermen, believe Mazu will bless their loved ones at sea. Statistics from the Meizhou tourist bureau suggest that more than 100,000 Taiwanese pilgrims travel each year to Meizhou Island, Mazu's birthplace. Meizhou first hosted a Mazu festival in 1994, and this is the fourth time the event is being held here. Organizers of the festival said large-scale dance performances depicting the history of Mazu would be staged, with more than 1,000 dancers from across the country joining the performances.