Matsu, also known as Mazu meaning mother, is the; Goddess of the Sea, Motherly Matriarch, Daughter of the Dragon, and Empress of Heaven.
Her story:
Matsu’s human/given name is Lin Mo. As a teenager, she was at home when she fell in to a trance whilst weaving. Whilst in the trance, she could see here brother and father in a storm at sea. The typhoon then got so strong, they were thrown overboard and began to drown. Distressed by this vision, she used her spiritual powers to transport her physical self to the scene. Once there, she managed to save her brother but when going back to then save her father, her mother had come home and seen her in the trance. Worried that she was ill, her mother shook her to see if she was awake which broke the trance and then resulted Lin Mo being unable to save her father and he drowned. Realising this, she ran to the shore and is said to have walked in to the sea, three days later returning with his body for burial.
Folklore and belief:
After the event of her fathers death, there are numerous tales of her using her powers to help save and heal fishermen and sailors. Sadly, Lin Mo died at the early age of 28. The most interesting thing about her is actually the story of how she died. It is said that one day she announced to her family and friends that it was timef or ehr to leave this earth and that she must climb to the top of a near mountain on her own to meet her destiny. There it is said that at the summit she was engulfed by mist and clouds, music began playing and a bright orange and gold light carried her in to the heavens and at that exact point, a beautiful rainbow appeared over the spot where she had last stood.
The significance of this is that in Chinese legends a rainbow represents a dragon which brings good fortune and blessings to those in its presence. Dragons are said to drink only from the sea and their purpose is as a link from earth to heaven. Hence her collection of appropiate names: Goddess of the Sea, Motherly Matriarch, Daughter of the Dragon, and Empress of Heaven. In Taoism the colours in a rainbow are a symbol fo the five original Buddha families. Orange is strongly connected to the Bodhisattva and people who have been enlightened but chose to stay on earth and help others rather than join other enlightened ones in heaven. As the story of Lin Mo’s death states that she was carried by a gold and orange light which represents both enlightenment and choosing to stay present on earth, this may be reason as to why so many sailors have said that when she has saved them she did not appear as a ghostly or spiritual figure but physically and her flesh could be felt like any other humans. It is also said that when she does go to help sailors in danger she is first seen from afar as a colourful/red light and then travels on floating clouds to the sailors where she then carries them to safety.
After death, Lin Mo’s kindness to others and said enlightenment was the reason for her recognition by Buddhist to be deified and resulted in the Chinese Government declaring her a Goddess.
There are hundreds of temples dedicated to Matsu all over Asia but there are two in particular that have stood out to me. The most ornate statue of her I have found is at the Lotus Pond in Kaohsiung in Taiwan. The gigantic statue is brightly coloured and stands out against the blue water behind. Decorated with lavish carvings of clouds and other features from Matsu related folklore it really shouldn’t be missed if you are ever nearby! However, it is the giant, pure white Lady Buddha statue of her on top of a cliff in Da Nang, Vietnam that truly cannot be rivalled.
Temples of Taiwan 