特辑：妈祖信仰

　　Definition: Mazu Worship

　　妈祖(又称天后、天妃等)是古代中国影响最广、最具特色的海神信仰。传说妈祖原名林默，是北宋初期福建莆田的一位民间女子，自小聪明颖悟，行善济人，事亲不嫁。林默年青时去世后，羽化升天，成为海神，护佑海船，为民所敬。从北宋开始，历代王朝都对妈祖进行赐封，从而使始祖崇拜从民间信仰发展为国家祭典。妈祖信仰在中国东南沿海广为流行，经久不衰，并且出现了众多著名的妈祖庙。此外，随着妈祖信仰还远播海外，成为海上丝绸之路的珍贵文化遗产。2009年，妈祖信俗入选联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录。

　　Mazu (also called the Queen of Heaven) was the most influential and unique maritime patron deity in ancient China. According to legend, Mazu was originally named Lin Mo, an ordinary woman from Putian, Fujian in early Song Dynasty. She was bright, charitable, dutiful to parents and never married. After her untimely death, Lin Mo flied to the heaven and became a goddess of the sea. She protected fishermen and sailors, and was widely worshipped by the people. From the Song Dynasty on, each dynasty granted Mazu a title, gradually turning Mazu worship into a national rite. Mazu Belief has been popular and unfailing in China’s south-east coastal areas with numerous renowned Mazu temples built. Besides, as Mazu Belief was spread overseas, it became a valuable cultural heritage of the “Maritime Silk Road”. In 2009, Mazu Belief was included on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

　　【图版】全球主要天后宫分布图

编辑： 刘夏妍

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