Someone has made a comprehensive investigation on Mazu folk custom in Putian, Fujian. The following are excerpts, from which we can see the similarities and differences of folk activities in different regions, so as to see the exchange and variation of regional folk culture.
(1) birthday is not arrested. Fishermen in Mae Island did not dare to go out to sea to fish or fish for a few days around March 23rd. This custom is due to Mazu's birthday, and the Records of Mazu Sages records that there are many monsters in the East China Sea, and fishing boats are often drowned. Tianhou said, "This must be a ghost." He ordered the boat to row to the middle of the sea. At that time, the wind was calm, and I saw the aquarium gathering, colorful armor, jumping and spitting. When I saw Tao Tou in the distance, I held a statue that looked like a prince and bowed and shouted in front of the Tianhou Palace. Suddenly, the water surged and the people on board trembled with fear. Later he said, "Don't be afraid." In other words, I was told not to welcome him. Suddenly, the water was clear, and I knew that the Dragon King was coming. After each birthday, the aquarium in the sea will gather in front of the mainland to celebrate. Accordingly, fishermen in Mae Island dare not go fishing in the sea these days to show their memory of Mazu.
(2) semi-red pants. Women in Mae Island, mainly middle-aged and elderly women, often wear a special pair of outer pants, the upper part of which is red and the lower part is black or blue. It is said that Mazu loved to wear red clothes before his death, so women in Mae Island regarded them as sacred objects and imitated them one after another. But Mazu is a god who can wear all red, and the world is a layman, so he only takes a piece of red. This is a respect for Mazu, but also to ensure peace.
(3) sail bun. Women in Mae Island, especially middle-aged and elderly women, have a sail-shaped hairstyle, that is, in the middle and back of the head, they comb into a bun with a height of more than ten centimeters, which is semi-arc and looks like a sail. The method of combing is: first divide the hair into three parts: left, middle and right, then comb the hair in the middle part into a bun, then comb the left and right temples, then fix it evenly and comb it into a sail-like bun. Sometimes a sewing needle is inserted into the sail bun, and a red thread is tied on the needle to make the hairstyle look better.
(4) ask questions in the cup. Putian people often use a pair of half-moon utensils made of wood or bamboo-cups, which are flat while bulging, to ask the bodhisattva for divination. This kind of cup is also said to come from Mazu. According to the legend of Puren, it is difficult for a tripod casting worker to come to Mae Island to cast a tripod three times in a row. Later, I found a girl standing by watching. The workers thought it was a bad omen and wanted to drive her away. The girl said, "I can go, but I want to burn red iron sand." The worker agreed to her request. The girl took the red-hot iron ore home with both hands, safe and sound. It is said that this girl was Mazu when she was a child. Later, Mazu used this pair of cooled iron sand cups to talk to the sky. Later generations followed suit and became folk customs.
(5) Hang calamus. During the Dragon Boat Festival, Putian people will hang calamus on the gate, thinking that it can ward off evil spirits. This folk custom is also related to Mazu. "Records of the Sages of Mazu" contains: There was a plague epidemic, and the whole family of Putian county officials was in critical condition. The official told the county magistrate that Maiyu Goddess had great power ... The official fasted and kissed her ... A few days later, she said that she was kind, repented for her, and took nine calamus ... so that the patient could be put on the door, fried and drunk, and the patient would be cured. The county magistrate was pleased with the gift of rebirth, and the family built a door to thank humbly. Since then, Shengu has become famous all over the country. From then on, people thought that Acorus calamus was given by Mazu, which could ward off evil spirits and eliminate disasters, and gradually became a folk custom.
(6) the sachet to ward off evil spirits. Putian folk, parents often ask for sachets for their children in the palace temple, commonly known as "incense", so that their children can wear them to protect their personal safety and not be afraid of evil spirits. This sachet is made of cloth, two inches square, red in front, embroidered with Tai Chi and Eight Diagrams in the middle, embroidered with the words "Meizhou Ancestral Hall" at the gaps in the four corners, with variegated wool at the tips of the four corners, grass green on the back, embroidered with a red flower in the middle, embroidered with the words "Tianmu" at 1/3, and the bag can be filled with spells.
(7) "Ten percent rice fruit". On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, "10% off rice fruit" must be steamed, that is, steamed with rice pulp and materials, first steaming the first layer and then steaming the second layer. Steamed nine times in a row, it became a "10% off rice fruit". According to folklore, "10% off rice fruit" is steamed because Mazu died on the ninth day of September.
(eight) if the plate is suspended. When Dipper's fishing boats are going out to sea, they often hang a sail pad on the mast to keep out the wind. Later, because the straw mat was cumbersome and inconvenient, it was replaced by a cloth banner with the words "Mother of Heaven", which evolved from the ancient custom of hanging mats.
(9) "Lantern Festival". Putian Lantern Festival is the earliest night of the seventh day, but Mazu Lantern Festival is the last day of this month, that is, the 29th and 30th nights. Why? It is said that many people play dragon lantern games on the Lantern Festival. According to the custom, after the Lantern Festival, the dragon lantern must be cremated to make it ascend to heaven to ensure safety. If it doesn't melt, it will become a "dragon" and endanger life. But the dragon is the king of the sea. Who can preside over this ceremony? People believe that Mazu is the sea god and commands the Dragon King of the Four Seas, so the Mazu Lantern Festival is set as the last day of this month, so that all the dragon lanterns in the county can be gathered and burned to avoid any trouble. This is the origin of the custom of renting Yuanxiao at the end of the month.
(10) Layout "Candle Mountain". There is no night festival in Mazu, and Pu people should decorate the "Candle Mountain" regardless of the big palace and small temple. The so-called "Candle Mountain" means that in front of the Palace Temple Square in Tianhou Palace, iron or wood is used as a bent frame, and bamboo tips are installed at a certain distance from the bent frame for inserting candles. On this night, each believer presented a pair of dragon candles. After lighting them, they looked like a candle mountain from a distance, symbolizing the divine light of Mazu sea. Afterwards, believers remember the location of the candle. When it burns to an inch or two, they will blow out the candle and take it home to continue lighting it to keep God safe within a year.
(1 1) Dragon boat crane. People in Putian often hold dragon boat races on the Dragon Boat Festival, which is different from the dragon boat races held in the whole country to commemorate Qu Yuan, that is, the dragon boat in Putian must be accompanied by the flag of "Our Lady in the Sky" and the statue of Mazu on board. This is because: the dragon is the king in the water, and Mazu is the sea god, carrying Mazu to row dragon boats, one is to exorcise evil spirits, the other is to keep peace, and the three towns are dragon boats to avoid accidents.
(12) foreign sacrifices. Mazu's offering is quite strange. Generally, besides the commonly used food, there are 30 plates of "water pilgrimage" made of flour, including 36 kinds of fish, shrimps, crabs and mussels.