Part III The expression of belief identity under the joint belief relationship between
3.4 The volunteers’ identification of current Mazu belief
Volunteers have also become a group that strongly identifies with Mazu belief, and there is almost no situation of disagreeing with Mazu belief. First of all, the main body of volunteers are enthusiastic and devout believers, they already identify with Mazu belief. As a volunteer, volunteers themselves have a certain official identity.
Volunteers unconsciously identify with this kind of folk belief construction model
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through participating in the activities of Mazu belief. Meanwhile, their belief also produces an identity with the folk construction model and the current Mazu constructor.
On September 27, 2020, the inaugural meeting of Putian Mazu Volunteer Team was held at the Putian Hall of Meizhou Mazu Temple. Putian Mazu Volunteer Team was initiated and supervised by the Putian Municipal Committee of the National Revolution of the People's Republic of China, it was jointly formed by the Putian Hall of Mazu Temple in Meizhou Island, the Putian Entrepreneurs Association of the National Revolution, the Square Dance Association of Putian, and the Cheongsam Association of Putian. At present, there are about 12,000 registered volunteers, composed of three teams, bringing together the young elites of the volunteer service team of Putian, they are daring to take responsibility, good at coordinating, helpful and diligent in service.
These volunteers took the initiative to join the Mazu Volunteer Team out of their wishes, and selflessly served the islanders and tourists within their own capacity.
They practiced the spirit of Mazu’s morality and good deeds through their own actions, most of them have gradually formed the habit of coming to Meizhou Island regularly work after the first volunteer service. Whenever there are activities, they may have to temporarily put aside their work or family. What drives them to take the initiative is not only their willingness to contribute, but also the internal drive of the belief and spirit of Mazu. They can feel the sense of group identity and social identity felt in the volunteer team.
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Figure 37 Mazu volunteers carried out activities at the square of the ancestral temple on Meizhou Island
Source:
http://www.wenming.cn/zyfw/2018sg100/zjzyfwzz/201811/t20181128_4914199.shtm l, 2018
Figure 38 Mazu volunteers provide assistance to the disabled who come to visit the ancestral temple of Mazu
Source:
http://www.wenming.cn/zyfw/2018sg100/zjzyfwzz/201811/t20181128_4914199.shtm l, 2018
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They use the common identity of ‘Mazu Volunteers’ to strengthen the sense of identity and social belonging of the volunteer group. Mazu volunteers have developed well, the number is increasing, and they are mainly young people. At present, more young people are due to their respect and love for Mazu. They are also inspired by Mazu's selfless contribution of loving the country and people, so that they volunteer to be Mazu volunteers, through the process of volunteering service to experience and learn Mazu culture, it also reflects the fashion characteristics of current Mazu cultural belief. Many young people have been affected by Mazu’s virtues and deeds. Infected by the spirit of love, volunteers consciously promote Mazu's spirit by participating in volunteer work. This enthusiasm is often full of the sense of lasting and inspiring.
The emergence of this kind of ‘faith culture hot’, here particularly refers to the ‘Mazu cultural hot’, because Mazu was originally dedicated to the country and people because of protecting dangers and difficulties. The spirit of love, tolerance, and good deeds showed by Mazu, in today's advocating construction harmonious society, this spirit will undoubtedly be identified by young people and gradually internalized into their moral act and habit. Judging from the psychological attributes of Mazu culture, young people are easier to produce this kind of belief and identity psychology, this kind of psychological driving force also drives them to be Mazu volunteers. People can know more information from each other through service, which reflects more humanization characteristics of Mazu and the organization. This kind of communication is also two-way and interactive. The volunteer team can provide a good communication platform, through practical communication, playing a stronger cohesion of Mazu culture and Mazu folk belief.
3.5 The believers’ identification of current Mazu belief
For believers, Mazu temple is extremely sacred and efficacious. Many believers do not hesitate to travel far, but also come to worship during Mazu festival.
Both local residents and believers from other places can tell some efficacious stories after worshipping Mazu. In Meizhou Island, believers identify with the spirituality of Mazu, also highlight it through the tradition of specific sacred spaces. Worshiping the ancestral temple and admiring the giant Mazu statue has become their inevitable itinerary. For other Mazu temples in the world, being able to invite Mazu to cruise and
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communicate will not only enhance cooperation and exchanges between Mazu temples, but it is also a metaphor for improving the spirituality of their own Mazu temples.
Figure 39 Believers from all over the country came to worship Mazu Source: Photographed by Ke Yihan, 2018
“In fact, it is not only the driving force of spirituality. For some believers, going to the ancestral temple to worship Mazu every year seems to be a responsibility and obligation that cannot be shied away. Through the interviews with overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, most of them agree that they come back to worship Mazu mostly because of the ‘root tracing’ factor. Their parents or grandparents were from Fujian or even locals in Putian. At that time, there was a tradition of believing in Mazu. Therefore, Meizhou Mazu always became an important stop for them to visit and miss their hometown.” (Zhang Xiaoyi, 2015, PP: 68)
Part IV The construction of self-identity of Chinese people
Meizhou Island is a small island with an area of only 14.35 square kilometers.
There are about 40,000 permanent residents on Meizhou Island, most of them believe in Mazu. The social environment and social influence play an important role in shaping the local residents' self-identity of Mazu belief.
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4.1 The period of childhood
Everyone on Meizhou Island has been in touch with Mazu belief from after they are born. During their infancy, they need others to help them recognize who they are, mainly from their parents. Among them, due to the traditional feudal social and cultural society of Meizhou Island, normally men go fishing and women stay behind to take care of their families. Therefore, the important task of raising and educating children belongs to the mother.
Mazu is a female role in the traditional family. Since the formation of Mazu belief, she has been loved and identified by many women. They all received the education of traditional ideas, such as taking care of their families, educating their children, and supporting their parents. The image that people set up for Mazu is based on this cultural background. Under the mother's words and deeds, they listened to Mazu's stories since they were young, people gradually developed self-awareness, and the image of Mazu always exists in this self-consciousness.
4.4.2 Influences from others
Others are those who are independent of the self. People need to confirm their identity through others. Without them, people cannot develop the self- consciousness that most people have, that is, as an individual who is independent of a large social group.
The people of Meizhou Island have been continuously influenced by Mazu belief and Mazu culture during the period of the growth stage. Since childhood, parents will take their children to participate in some Mazu folk activities. The stage in front of Mazu temple has become an important place for children to gather and play. This is an important memory of people’s childhood. The various traditional festivals on Meizhou Island are closely related to Mazu belief. Whenever such a time of celebration, the residents of Meizhou Island will always gather at Mazu temple to talk about interesting pictures and details of activities.
People always consciously or unconsciously participate in the activities of Mazu belief under the influence and drive of others. For example, the sense of ritual when worshiping Mazu, queuing one by one when offering incense, completing the procedures and prescribed steps, triggering the emotion of missing and admiring Mazu.
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This emotion cannot be described by words. This is an inner sense of security, excitement, calmness and stability.
This is a sense of existence that spreads and swells from individuals, a sense of detachment from life, all of these are given by collective rituals. Meanwhile, this is also a silent transforming influence, no special form is needed to confirm the self-identity of Chinese people by Mazu belief. The vast majority of individuals in Meizhou Island influence others to construct their self-identity with Mazu.
Meizhou Island is a relatively closed island. In ancient times, it was extremely inconvenient to travel, it was only possible to travel by boat. People in such a social environment often cooperate in life, these people meet almost every day. In sociology, it is called face to face group, that is, face-to-face community. People learn from each other, influence each other, support each other, and trust each other. This has become the habit of daily life, including the identification and choice of belief, the habit formed by society dominates the 'self'.
In other words, in such a society, if there are a common belief, language, habits and other customs, it will be regarded as the same group. On the contrary, it may be regarded as an ‘aberration’, which will cause a psychological distance from Mazu’s believers. Over time, it will gradually break away from the circle of Mazu believe. We have reason to believe that this is the social language of Meizhou Island. People share the same experience, contact and use the same belief and symbol in similar environments. Mazu is the special social language of Meizhou Islanders.
4.3 The power of group---the identity construction and expression of Mazu folklore
After more than a thousand years of inheritance, Mazu has stepped out of the pure folk belief hall and formed an extensive folk culture. Folk culture is the local custom and life culture, which is created, shared, and inherited by local people. It is a collection of a series of material things formed during the production and life of ordinary people, including people's daily life. The folk customs of Mazu are unique and self-contained. Based on the identification of Mazu belief, people construct a series of folk activities to convey their inner thoughts and emotions, which is an important channel for belief individuals to build self-identity.
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Mazu folklore is a kind of conventional folk beliefs and customs gradually formed from people's admiration for Mazu. It is a component of Chinese excellent culture and a common treasure of people all over the world. These folk activities contain people's good wishes for believing in Mazu, as well as the inner thoughts of devoting to Mazu, which can express people's emotions and express people's miss and respect for Mazu.
4.3.1 Living customs
4.3.1.1 Fishing is prohibited on Mazu’s birthday
Within a few days before and after the 23rd of the third month of the lunar calendar, fishermen cannot go fishing in the sea. Local fishermen believe that in the next few days, there will be a dragon king114 to worship Mazu, and the tide is raging, so fishing is not allowed. People do this to be a memory to Mazu. In addition, according to field surveys of the hydrological environment, in the days before and after the 23rd March, there were indeed many sea creatures cruising around Meizhou Island to lay eggs. This may be a coincidence between legends and celestial phenomena.
4.3.1.2 Sticking Mazu's talisman on the gate
Believers stuck yellow paper with Mazu image and scriptures on the gate, some of them also carved Mazu image on wooden boards to bless safety for the family. Mazu believers believe that Mazu charms have the function of blessing safety, so they are posted on the gate of their homes, and some are posted on cars, shops, or carry it when they travel far away.
114 Dragon king is the king who ruled the clan in the water in ancient myths and legends, and is in charge of clouds and rain. It has a legend that the dragon king can control clouds and rain, eliminate disasters and bring good luck, symbolizing auspiciousness.
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Figure 40 Mazu incense bag with incense ash and amulets Source: Photographed by Ke Yihan, 2021
4.3.1.3 When people go to sea, they hang straw mats on the boat, when fishermen on Meizhou Island go out to sea, they always hang straw mats on their masts to pray for blessing. This is one of the folk customs that has changed from the ancient Mazu legendary.
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Figure 41 Mazu hung straw mats and sailed to save people Source: Painted by Lin Jinyu, 2016
4.3.1.4 Believers worship Mazu and offer incense to thank Mazu for help
This is a ritual held by the family to thank Mazu. It refers to people praying to Mazu for the blessing when they encounter difficulties, and the family holds a ritual to thank Mazu after the difficulties are resolved. Generally, the whole family will wear uniforms and line up to Mazu temple to invite Mazu, thank the holy grace of Mazu.
4.3.1.5 Customs of launching new boats and making models of boats The people of Meizhou Island have lived on fishing for generations, fishing boats have been the main tool of production. The finished fishing boat is painted white, with two giant eyes painted on both sides of the bow, two blue dragons painted on both sides of the boat. A certain ritual must be held when the new boat is launched.
The owner of the boat must enshrine Mazu statue on the boat, with tribute, fruit boxes,
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wine, and burning incense. The blood taken from the cockscomb of the rooster is also ready to be used for painting giant eyes on the bow and blue dragon's eyes on the sides of the boat.
Its function is to make fishermen psychologically feel that there has Mazu's escort and the guidance of dragon's eyes, so that they are not afraid of strong winds and waves on the sea. This custom, which has been passed down since Song Dynasty, reflects the ancient fishermen's confidence in conquering nature with the help of divine power. Until now, people have always retained this custom, which is the result of mutual influence and interaction between social groups.
Before the new boat is launched, a model of a fishing boat will be made and enshrined in Mazu temple. The meaning is to be with Mazu, there has Mazu's escort. This will pray for safety.
4.3.1.6 The special meaning of Mazu’s sachet
In the local folk society, parents often go to Mazu temple to pray for sachets for their children to wear, to drive out demons and ghosts to ensure safety. This kind of sachet is generally made of cloth, the size of 2 inches. The front side is red, the pattern of Taiji-Bagua is embroidered in the middle, and the four characters ‘Meizhou Ancestral Temple’ are embroidered in the gaps in the four corners. The edges of the four corners are tied with yarn wool, the backside is grass green, with a red embroidered in the middle, and a red cover is added on one third of the corners, embroidered with the words ‘Mother of Heaven’. The Inside sachet has charm and incense ashes, it punches a buttonhole on the edge of the front for easy to thread and hang.
In addition, there are customs such as wearing jade around the neck and entrusting children to Mazu temple. Wearing jade around the neck refers to that believers wear the jade statue of Mazu on the neck, which means that Mazu always accompanies and protects them. Entrusting children to Mazu temple refer to when believers are out, people entrust children to Mazu temple, because Mazu is their most trusted protection god.
4.3.2 The custom of Mazu clothes
Mazu clothes are a characteristic embodiment of Mazu culture. Most middle-aged and elderly women in Meizhou Island often wear a special kind of trousers. The upper part is red and the lower part is black or blue. This is to imitate
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Mazu's clothes. Modern Mazu clothes have made certain innovations based on inheriting Mazu traditional clothes, it is added people's identification and understanding of Mazu belief, and uses Mazu clothes to spread Mazu culture, this reflects the characteristics of Mazu belief. People use Mazu clothes to show respect for Mazu.
Mazu bun is a bun in the shape of a sailboat. In ancient times, men dominated the outside and women dominated the inside. In Meizhou Island, women are at home when men go fishing in the sea. To pray for Mazu to bless their relatives to return safely from the sea, the women of Meizhou Island, especially the middle-aged and elderly women, made their hairstyles combed into the shape of a sailboat. This custom was formed to imitate Mazu. On the one hand, shows that they are residents of Meizhou Island, on the other hand, they also hope to be protected by Mazu.
4.3.3 Marriage and childbearing traditions
The custom of ‘exchanging flowers’ for women. In Meizhou Island, there is a peculiar custom called ‘exchanging flowers’, that is, married women those who have not given birth after two or three years, so they are suspected of being infertile, then their families will start the ritual of ‘exchanging flowers’.
The date of ‘exchanging flowers’ is on the night of the 16th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its fullest. Women who have not yet given birth planted a leafy white-flowered tree in advance, such as magnolia, jasmine or white chrysanthemums. The folks say that white flowers represent boys and red flowers represent girls. In ancient times, the residents of Meizhou Island preferred boys to girls, so white flowers were their first choice.
Under the white moonlight, the women who have not yet given birth placed fruit wine and sacrifices in front of the flower tree in front of Mazu temple, burning incense and worshipping Mazu, silently praying for the blessing of Mazu, and using the flower tree to replace the flower tree in front of Mazu temple. In order to look forward to having children in the coming year. This custom shows people's devotion to Mazu and also brings spiritual comfort to women who have not given birth.
4.3.4 Diet custom 4.3.4.1 Mazu cake
Mazu cake is with the size of 6 cm in length and about 2 cm in thickness.
Each piece is wrapped in soft white paper with white sugar cake, and writes the