Matsu goddess: Encyclopedia II - Matsu goddess - Worship

Matsu goddess - Worship

There are about 800 to 1000 Taiwanese temples dedicated wholly, or usually, partly, to Matsu. Jenlan Temple (鎮瀾宮) in Tachia (大甲), Taichung County is the most famous Matsu temple in Taiwan, and an annual pilgrimage takes place there each spring. Chaotian Temple (朝天宮) of Peikang Township (北港鎮) in Yunlin is another popular temple of Matsu in Taiwan. Heavenly Empress Palace-Meizhou Ancestral Temple (天后宮湄洲祖廟) is on her native Meizhou Island. There is also a temple on the Pescadores Islands.

In Hong Kong, around 60 temples are dedicated, at least partially to Tin Hau. The temple in the Tin Hau area, east of Victoria Park, in Eastern district, on Hong Kong Island, has given its name to the area and to the MTR station serving it (Island Line). See Places of worship in Hong Kong for a more detailed listing.

Macau has three Tin Hau temples (one per Coloane, Macau Peninsula, and Taipa). In total, there are around 1,500 Matsu temples in 26 countries of the world.T he name "Macau" is thought to be derived from the Templo de A-Má (Temple of A-Ma) (媽閣廟, Cantonese Jyutping: Maa1 Gok3 Miu6, local pronunciation: Maa5 Gok3 Miu6 or Maa5 Gok3 Miu5), a still-existing landmark built in 1448 dedicated to the goddess Matsu.

Matsu has also gained popularity in the west as well. Many temples dedicated to Matsu are located in many Chinatowns in the United States. The oldest Taoist temple in the United States is dedicated to Matsu, Tien Hau Temple in San Francisco, built in 1852.

Another Matsu temple that has gained notoriety in the west is located in Los Angeles, which is known as Chua Ba Thien Hau, a popular tourist attraction in Chinatown. The temple is also home to the Camau Association of America, a Chinese benevolent association. On September 5th, 2005, the temple was completed after two years of building, costing about $2 million dollars. Many others who have passed by it deem it as the largest Matsu temple in the United States.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Worship", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki