Flags are flying, bells and drums are ringing, and ceremonies are blessed...... On April 18, the 2024 Jiachen Year of the Dragon 2nd Dingtai Mazu Cultural Festival was held in Mazu Palace, Qianqi Town, Fuding City. Representatives of Mazu cultural institutions and admirers from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and other places gathered together to pay homage to Mazu.
At the event site, a grand Mazu festival was staged wonderfully. With the sound of salutes and the sound of bells and drums, the chief priest, the accompanying priests and the worshippers at the scene lined up in a neat sacrificial procession and bowed three times to Mazu in turn, praying for good weather and peace for the country and the people. The traditional sacrificial rituals such as welcoming the gods, offering incense, chanting sacrifices, and performing three offerings were completed in turn, and the whole festival was orderly and solemn.
Lin Yongzhong, the former executive chairman of Qi Mazu Tianhou Temple
"On the basis of summarizing the experience of last year's activities, this year, we strive to better present the spirit of Mazu's 'virtue, kindness, and great love' by improving the Mazu festival ritual process and enriching the series of activities of the Mazu Cultural Festival, and further promote and inherit the excellent traditional Chinese culture. ”
The Mazu festival is held
In addition, a souvenir exchange ceremony and a wonderful folk performance were also held at the event site, and the passionate encouragement and lively lion dance made the guests and the audience applaud again and again.
Souvenir exchange ceremony
Wonderful folklore show
It is reported that Qianqi Town is located in the northeast of Fuding City, with profound historical and cultural heritage, Mazu belief and customs (Qianqi temple fair), Qianqi Yan public belief customs, horse lanterns, fishing drums, puppet shows and other folk customs are unique, among which Qianqi horse lanterns are included in the fourth batch of intangible cultural heritage representative items in Fujian Province, and Qianqi Mazu Temple will be included in the third batch of intangible cultural heritage representative items in Ningde City.
Former Gima lamp
Lan Chengzhong, member of the Standing Committee of the Fuding Municipal Party Committee, said that the Mazu culture is still shining after thousands of years, and it is a common spiritual bond between the hearts of compatriots on both sides of the strait.
Mazu is the "goddess of protecting the sea" widely believed by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and is the belief of the sea god centered on the southeast coast of China and extended to the coastal areas of East Asia. In 2009, Mazu beliefs and customs were included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which is China's first world heritage of beliefs and customs. At present, there are nearly 40 Mazu temples in Fuding City, and there are many admirers.
He Dahuang, chairman of the board of directors of Xingang Fengtian Palace, Chiayi County, Taiwan
"I am very happy to participate in the Dingtai Mazu Cultural Festival this time, the festival scene is very lively, and everyone worships Mazu together. There are tens of millions of people in Taiwan who believe in Mazu, and this is a powerful testimony that the blood of compatriots on both sides of the strait is thicker than water, and I hope that we can continue to unite and advance together and jointly carry forward the spirit of Mazu. ”
It is reported that during the event, a series of activities such as the Dingtai Mazu Cultural Exchange Symposium and the Mazu Patrol will also be held. At the same time, guests from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao will visit leading enterprises of Fuding white tea such as Pinpinxiang and Luxueya to deepen the economic, trade and cultural exchanges between Dingtai and Taiwan.
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Fuding Rong Media Center
Text: Qiu Mingxiang
Photo: Qiu Mingxiang Happiness Fuding Gallery
Editor: Yan Huanyuan
Review: Wang Jingjing
Producer: Huang Yisheng
Director: Zhuo Wenjun