Search Results (22)

Long kept in the British Library, a liturgical manuscript from the port of Haicheng, Fujian, holds details of the rich system of beliefs that Chinese sailors held. Originally untitled, the text by the shelfmark OR12693/18 is usually referred to as “Libation Ritual (for Ship Safety)” ([An Chuan] Zhuoxian Ke [(安船)酌献科]). Formerly, it was given scholarly attention mostly due to its addended lists of maritime placenames, which follows Qing-era sea routes across China’s coasts and to the South China Sea. Further inquiry into the manuscript’s terminology, deity names, and maritime knowledge confirms its deep relation to sailors’ lore. By tracing this text into a wide range of sources, this paper demonstrates how manuscript OR12693/18 reflects a cohesive maritime system of beliefs and knowledge. Manifested within the prayer are a hierarchical pantheon, ritual practices, and a perceived sacred seascape. Moreover, it is evident that the manuscript belonged to a tradition of sailing ritual masters who were regular members of the crew onboard junks. As such, this paper offers an analysis of a religious-professional tradition with trans-local aspects, shedding new light on seafaring in pre-modern China. Full article

The archetypal symbols of Mazu’s statues and pictorial art are the mapping of a religious concept, a way of belief, and some programmed behaviours and rituals. They are also emotional imagery used to arouse the cultural awareness of international Chinese, inspire them to help and trust each other, to encourage and to comfort each other, to share weal and woe, and to always forge ahead. From the perspectives of historical memory, visual signs, and cultural identity, this paper explores the construction of archetypal symbols for the statues and images of Mazu. In addition, this paper generalizes the foundation and methods of this construction by analyzing the artistic forms and characteristics of the surviving Mazu images and statues and comparing the rules and regulations for making statues of other religions. Moreover, we consider the function of artistic signs that refer to and symbolize broader religious concepts and beliefs. The purpose of this work is to make the image of Mazu more visually present and strengthen cultural identity. Full article

Religious tourism attracts many pilgrims and tourists to travel to a sacred space, and the issue of its authenticity has become increasingly important. Convenience sampling was used to conduct a survey at Dajia Jenn Lann Temple, Taichung City, Taiwan, and 487 valid questionnaires were obtained. The linear structural equation model constructs the analysis results as follows: (1) The “authenticity of place” and “action authenticity” have a positive relationship on the “place attachment” and act as a mediator variable for the effects of “authenticity of belief” on “authenticity of action”. (2) Tourists who have visited twice or more have a higher impact on “authenticity of belief” than those who have visited once. (3) Among the factors of the “authenticity of belief”, “concept of life” and “concept of God” are the most important; among the factors of the “authenticity of the place”, “spiritual sustenance” is the most important; and among the factors of “authenticity of action”, “experiential action” and “consequential actions” are the most important. The “place identity” is the essential aspect of the “place attachment” factor. This study developed a scale of the authenticity of belief, place, and action. Research results can provide a reference for religious tourism development. Full article

The potato rot nematode (Ditylenchus destructor) is one of the most destructive pests in the production of tuber crops, resulting in severely decreased yields and inferior product quality. In 2021, a great number of nematodes were detected in the roots of Mazus japonicus, a weed that is harmful to crop growth, in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China. The present study was undertaken to characterize and identify the nematodes isolated from M. japonicus through morphological identification and molecular approaches. Their morphological characteristics were highly consistent with the descriptions of D. destructor Thorne, 1945. The nematodes collected from M. japonicus were identified as D. destructor haplotype B using D1/D2 and sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) primers. PCR-ITS-RFLP analysis was conducted to monitor intraspecific variations. In addition, the phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) demonstrated that this D. destructor population was clustered in haplotype B, supported by a 100% bootstrap value. Another assay, in which M. japonicus was inoculated with a mixture of the life stages of D. destructor, was performed. This assay showed that M. japonicus exhibited a high susceptibility to D. destructor in pots. This is the first record of D. destructor parasitizing M. japonicus in China, and it is of great importance because M. japonicus could be a potential reservoir for D. destructor in the field. Full article

Based on fieldwork and the analysis of the historical literature, this article studies the development of material culture in the cult of popular goddess Mazu, exploring in particular the materialization mechanisms and strategies deployed by various actors in her worship nowadays. Through the ages, people in China have expressed their religious feelings and experiences in the objects they display, worship, and exchange, as well as in the spaces that they build and inhabit. In this process, religious beliefs are externalized in forms of material culture, including symbols, texts, relics, music, and temples. As a result, these artifacts and places carry individual and collective memories and affects that allow believers to experience religion not only at special events like festivals and pilgrimages, but in everyday life. In modern China, the connotations and forms of material carriers have diversified. The rise of souvenirs and other forms of cultural consumption have transformed the materialization of religiosity. In the worship of Mazu, the relationship between pilgrimage, tourism, entertainment, and the production and circulation of commodities has become increasingly tight, changing the cult’s beliefs and their physical expression. That connection also brings social and economic sustenance to the local community. Taking the Mazu Temple in Meizhou as a case, this paper adopts a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to examine the pilgrimage–tourism–commerce nexus, as well as other contemporary forms of the materialization of her cult. Full article

The Dajia Mazu pilgrimage is one of the most well-known events in the world. It not only satisfies tourists’ spiritual desires for religious beliefs but also drives the development of destination tourism. In recent years, the tourism industry has been severely impacted by COVID-19. However, tourists participating in the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage continue to do so without fear of the pandemic. Therefore, understanding the relationship between tourists’ attraction to religious tourism, perception of happiness, and willingness to revisit can contribute to the sustainable development of religious tourism, especially in the context of COVID-19. Accordingly, this study explored the sustainable development of Taiwan’s religious tourism from the perspectives of tourism attraction, experiential value, happiness, and revisit intention. The study conducted quantitative research to address the research issue. Three hundred and fifty valid questionnaires were collected through on-site questionnaire distribution, and the data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and the structural equation partial least squares method. According to the results, the tourism attraction of the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage and the experiential value of tourists significantly impact happiness and revisit intention. Happiness is part of the intermediary variables of tourism attraction, experiential value, and revisit intention. Notably, the attraction of the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage and the experiential value pursued by tourists have not diminished despite the pandemic. Instead, the attraction has become an opportunity for tourists to seek spiritual comfort and support sustainable religious tourism development. Accordingly, spiritual comfort and maintaining their health and safety can be considered strategies to promote the sustainability of religious tourism in Taiwan. Full article

This paper examines the local beliefs of the sea gods in Japan, represented by the Sumiyoshi Sanjin 住吉三神, and their acceptance of the foreign culture of Mazu 媽祖. While there are many differences between the two in terms of their backgrounds, functions, and identities, the evolution of Japanese sea god beliefs has been characterized by a gradual acceptance of Mazu culture, culminating in the co-culturing of the two in shrines. This paper adopts an empirical research design to compare the local beliefs of the sea gods in Japan with the culture of Mazu and to analyze the reasons for their acceptance of Mazu culture from the perspective of the other. This article argues that the Japanese sea gods accepted Mazu for two reasons: the tangibility of Mazu’s beliefs and the superb spirituality of Mazu’s beliefs. Superb spirituality means effective protection, both in terms of safety at sea and swiftness in rescuing shipwrecks, and in terms of the smooth running of the fishing industry. Full article

The central question of this paper is what kind of view Dōgen had about Mazu. At first glance, this may seem completely irrelevant to the theme of this issue. In fact, however, Dōgen’s view points to a subtle relationship between Buddhism and Hinduism in an interesting way. Dōgen seems to regard Mazu as an ambiguous figure, standing on the borderline between Buddhism and Hinduism. However, Dōgen’s intention was to save Mazu and keep him on the side of Buddhism. So how can Mazu be saved? To answer this question is to trace the fundamental boundary between Buddhism and Hinduism according to the outstanding Zen master. In this study we adopt the usual method of textual analysis. Our discussion proceeds in the following order. (The steps do not correspond exactly to the section breaks.) (1) First, the argument of a person called Senni is presented from Dōgen’s Bendōwa, where Dōgen severely criticizes him as a non-Buddhist heresy. At this step we will confirm that Senni is a Sāṅkhya theorist (hence, a Hinduist). (2) We take up a parallel to the above passage from Dōgen’s Shōbōgenzō, Chapter “Sokushinzebutsu”. It becomes clear that the true target of Dōgen’s criticism was Mazu, the great Chinese Chan master. (3) The above operation shows that Dōgen was trying to position Mazu as someone on the borderline between Hinduism and Buddhism. (4) We try to reconstruct from the text what in Senni angered Dōgen, or, in other words, from what he wanted to save Mazu. As a result, the borderline as seen by Dōgen will be visible to us. The main findings of this paper are as follows: (1) The mark that distinguishes Buddhism from Hinduism, according to Dōgen, is the presence of the never-ending Bodhi-mind. This is in fact what TSUNODA Tairyū suggested in his 1985 article. Dōgen implemented this idea as an endless loop of Bodhi-mind, which makes the goal unreachable. (2) The implicit object of Dōgen’s criticism is not the Japanese Tendai or the Darumashū, but Mazu, as HE Yansheng indicated in his 2000 book. The so-called Critical Buddhism movement began on the basis of a misunderstanding. The large amount of secondary literature that has resulted is also indirectly based on this error. Full article

From the perspective of production technology, the god image usually has two manifestations: paintings and sculptures, while there are two main forms of paintings: murals and prints. In this paper, the engravings of gods named “Guan-yin-ma-lian” (觀音媽聯) were taken as the research object. The origin of “Guan-yin-ma-lian” is traced back. The form of plane composition of this type of engraving is analyzed from the perspective of iconology. The image of Mazu (媽祖) and its implied meaning in “Guan-yin-ma-lian” are discussed from the perspective of folk beliefs. As one of the plane images of Mazu, “Guan-yin-ma-lian” is not only a very important religious art in folk culture, but also an important link closely connecting Mazu belief circles at home and abroad. It is also an important cultural asset of Chinese people who worship Mazu. Full article

The purpose of this study is to explore whether religious tourism activities can create a safe leisure environment and improve the well-being of the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the participants in the Baishatun Mazu pilgrimage in Taiwan as the subjects of this study. A mixed research method was used. First, statistical software and the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient were used to analyze the data. Then the respondents’ opinions were collected. Finally, a multivariate analysis method was used to discuss the results of analysis. The findings showed that the elderly respondents thought that the epidemic prevention information and leisure space planning for the pilgrimage made them feel secure. The elderly believed the scenery, religious atmosphere, and commodities en route could reduce the perception of environmental risks to tourists, relieve pressure on the brain, and increase social opportunities. Therefore, the friendlier the leisure environment around the pilgrimage, the greater the leisure satisfaction among the elderly respondents. The happier the elderly felt, the less they considered the concentration of airborne contaminants, including viruses. The better their physical and mental health was, the less likely they were to want to ask for religious goods. Full article

The religious color of folk beliefs and customs, a concrete and ideal artistic presentation of the Mazu (媽祖) image reflected in ancient books, folk customs and myths, endows Mazu with its unique image and humanistic connotation. The visual image, which implies the meaning of the thought, serves as important material for historical research. Therefore, this paper refers to and draws on three changing images of Mazu summarized from the perspectives of state and society, social function, and region of belief, respectively, by anthropological researcher Mr. Bozhong Li in his study of Mazu. Based on the analysis of Mazu image data, three significant images of Mazu are proposed, namely, the initial image, the transformation image and the typical image, along with a comprehensive analysis of its evolution and relationship. The image of Mazu in the statue is not only an artificially constructed social and cultural symbol but also a folk art symbol with religious and folk characteristics, and secular and emotional characteristics. It is also the visual form of Mazu’s intuitive concrete materialization, carrying a certain representative thought and concept, meaning and spirit, and the various pieces of information it contains is more intuitive than words, bringing the incomparable dissemination power of knowledge and information from the classics. Moreover, it can transcend language barriers and regional boundaries, stimulate personal inner original feelings, interact with Mazu’s beliefs and customs, and serve as an important medium for spreading Mazu’s beliefs and customs. Full article

An upsurge in Taiwan-based Mazu temple buildings has been observed in China (Tianjin, Kunshan, and Xiamen, etc.) recently. This paper applies qualitative research methods, including participatory observation and semi-structured interviews, to explore the development of Mazu temples in Tianjin, Kunshan, and Xiamen, China in terms of cross-regional connectivity, materiality, and cross-regional locality, to explore the process of transplantation and construction in the mainland. This paper finds that Mazu culture is a reproduction of the vision of “one race one culture” in the cultural space, and this spatial reproduction is realized through cross-strait religious and cultural exchanges. Informed by the perspective of the political and cultural context, three interconnected dimensions—cross-regional connectivity, materiality, and cross-regional locality—have influenced why, where, and how Taiwan Mazu temples have been transplanted and constructed. This kind of hybrid locality is an integration of urban space and religion, as well as an organic, complex process that integrates religious functions, local politics, and the cultural economy. With the ingenious localization efforts of Taiwanese businessmen, these new Mazu temples promote homogenization in the sacred space and create a unique mixed locality—a more-than-state. Full article

Efficient shielding materials are extremely important to minimize the effect of electromagnetic interference. Currently, various composite materials are being investigated with different shielding efficiencies reported. In this paper, a flexible and free-standing sodium-based chitosan (CH/Na) polymer with copper selenide (CuSe) filler was prepared for electromagnetic shielding. The CH/Na/CuSe polymer matrix was prepared via the direct casting technique at different wt% of CuSe, varying from 2 to 20 wt%. The polymer matrix was then characterised by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to confirm the interaction between the CH/Na and CuSe. The XRD results revealed that the CH/Na/CuSe polymer was successfully formed. Improvement in the electrical conductivity was confirmed by an impedance spectroscopy measurement. The highest electrical conduction recorded was at 3.69 × 10⁻⁵ S/cm for CH/Na/CuSe polymer matrix with 20 wt% CuSe. An increase in total electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding efficiency (SE_T) of up to 20 dB (99% EM power shield) was achieved, and it can be increased up to 34 dB (99.9% EM power shield) with the thickness of the polymer increased. Full article

This article explores transformations in the worship of popular goddess Mazu as a result of (religious) tourism. In particular, it focuses on the role of transnational tourism in the invention of tradition, folklorization, and commodification of the Mazu cult. Support from the central and local governments and the impact of economic globalization have transformed a traditional pilgrimage site that initially had a local and then national scope into a transnational tourist attraction. More specifically, the ancestral temple of Mazu at Meizhou Island, which was established as the uncontested origin of Mazu’s cult during the Song dynasty (960 to 1276), has been reconfigured architecturally and liturgically to function as both a sacred site and a tourist attraction. This reconfiguration has involved the reconstruction of traditional rituals and religious performances for religious tourism to promote the temple as the unadulterated expression of an intangible cultural heritage. The strategic combination of traditional rituals such as “dividing incense” and an innovative ceremony enjoining all devotees of “Mazu all over the world [to] return to mother’s home” to worship her have not only consolidated the goddess as a symbol of common cultural identity in mainland China, but also for the preservation of Chinese identity in diaspora. Indeed, Chinese migrants and their descendants are among the increasing numbers of pilgrims/tourists who come to Mazu’s ancestral temple seeking to reconnect with their heritage by partaking in authentic traditions. This article examines the spatial and ritual transformations that have re-signified this temple, and by extension, the cult of Mazu, as well as the media through which these transformations have spread transnationally. We will see that (transnational) religious tourism is a key medium. Full article

The value co-creation behavior of residents can contribute to the sustainable development of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) tourism. This paper aims to provide a theoretical framework that uses “cognition–affection–behavior” theory to explain how the two variables of tourism development perception and emotional solidarity affect the value co-creation participation behavior of the local residents in the context of intangible cultural heritage tourism while considering the mediating role of emotional solidarity. This study empirically investigates Meizhou Island in Fujian Province, China as an example by using a structural equation model (SEM). Results show that the perception of local residents toward the benefits of tourism development has a significant positive impact on their emotional solidarity and value co-creation participation behavior, whereas their perception toward the costs of tourism development has a significant negative impact. In addition, the emotional solidarity of these residents has a significant positive impact on their value co-creation participation and plays a mediating role in the relationship between the tourism development perceptions of local residents and their value co-creation participation behavior. This study has important theoretical and practical significance for the management of ICH tourist destinations. Full article