Mazu

Mazu
Statue at Lin Moniang Park in Tainan
Traditional Chinese	媽祖
Simplified Chinese	妈祖
Literal meaning	"Mother Ancestor"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Māzǔ Wade–Giles Ma1-tsu3 IPA [má.tsù] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Māajóu Jyutping Maa1-zou2 IPA [ma˥.tsɔw˧˥] Southern Min Hokkien POJ Má-chó͘ Tâi-lô Má-tsóo Eastern Min Fuzhou BUC Mă-cū
Lin Moniang
Chinese	林默娘
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lín Mòniáng Wade–Giles Lin2 Mo4-niang2 IPA [lǐn mwô.njǎŋ] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Làhm Mahknèuhng Jyutping Lam4 Mak6-noeng4 IPA [lɐm˩ mɐk̚˨.nœŋ˩] Southern Min Hokkien POJ Lîm Be̍k-niû / Lîm Bia̍k-niû / Lîm Be̍k-niô͘ Tâi-lô Lîm Bi̍k-niû / Lîm Bia̍k-niû / Lîm Be̍k-niôo Eastern Min Fuzhou BUC Lìng Mĕk-Niòng

Popular names
Granny Mazu
Traditional Chinese	媽祖婆
Simplified Chinese	妈祖婆
Literal meaning	Granny Mazu
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Māzǔpó Wade–Giles Ma tsu3 p'o Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Māa Jóu pòh Jyutping Maa1 Zou2 po4 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Má-chó͘ -pô Tâi-lô Má-tsóo-pô　 Eastern Min Fuzhou BUC Mă-cū-bò̤
Queen of Heaven
Chinese	天后
Literal meaning	Celestial Empress
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Tiānhòu Wade–Giles T'ien-hou4 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Tīn hauh Jyutping Tin1 hau6 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Thian-hiō Tâi-lô Thian-hiō Eastern Min Fuzhou BUC Tiĕng-hâiu
Heavenly Consort
Chinese	天妃
Literal meaning	Celestial Concubine
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Tiānfēi Wade–Giles T'ien-fei Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Tīn fēi Jyutping Tin1 fei1 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Thian-hui Tâi-lô Thian-hui Eastern Min Fuzhou BUC Tiĕng-hĭ
Holy Heavenly Mother
Traditional Chinese	天上聖母
Simplified Chinese	天上圣母
Literal meaning	Heavenly-&-Sacred Mother
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Tiānshàng Shèngmǔ Wade–Giles T'ien shang4 sheng4 mu3 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Tīn seuhng sing móuh Jyutping Tin1 soeng6 sing3 mou4 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Thian-siōng sèng-bó͘ Tâi-lô Thian-siōng sìng-bó Eastern Min Fuzhou BUC Tiĕng-siông séng-mō̤

Mazu or Matsu is a Chinese sea goddess in Chinese folk religion, Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. She is also known by several other names and titles. Mazu is the deified form of Lin Moniang (Chinese: 林默娘; pinyin: Lín Mòniáng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Be̍k-niû / Lîm Bia̍k-niû / Lîm Be̍k-niô͘), a shamaness from Fujian who is said to have lived in the late 10th century. After her death, she became revered as a tutelary deity of Chinese seafarers, including fishermen and sailors. Her worship spread throughout China's coastal regions and overseas Chinese communities throughout Southeast Asia, where some Mazuist temples are affiliated with famous Taiwanese temples. Mazu was traditionally thought to roam the seas, protecting her believers through miraculous interventions. She is now generally regarded by her believers as a powerful and benevolent Queen of Heaven.

Mazu worship is popular in Taiwan because many early Chinese settlers in Taiwan were Hoklo people from Fujian. Her temple festival is a major event in Taiwan, with the largest celebrations occurring in and around her temples at Dajia and Beigang.