The diversification of Sea Goddess

In the coastal regions of southern Rongcheng, the sacrificial rites on Grain Rain are fairly grand. By and large there is a Sea Goddess Temple in every village, in front of which stand two flagsticks with flags flying and embroidered with some words of good luck, such as “calm sea without any waves,” “auspicious star blesses all,” “a safe trip before the wind,” and “eternal safety,” etc.

What is quite interesting is that, within coastal regions, Sea Goddesses served in different temples also differ in their appearance. In one case, the Goddess is a middle aged, dignified lady with slightly dark complexion and a kindly look, sitting straight and closing her hands. In another, the Goddess appears as a light-skinned and beautiful young girl, standing there, just like Ma Zu, the Goddess worshiped by people in the southeast coastal area. As introduced by a local elder, extant Dragon King Temples and Sea Goddess Temples were all built in 1990s. During the Cultural Revolution, a lot of temples were torn down. When people decided to rebuild those crumbling temples, they went South China to look for models. As a result, Ma Zu, which is supposed to be worshiped in southern coastal area, seats herself in Jiaodong Peninsula.

According to Yu Yingyu, an expert on Rongcheng folk culture, the Goddess served in Jiaodong is substantially different from Ma Zu: the Goddess in Jiaodong is, in fact, the wife of the Dragon King. Firstly, the temples in Jiaodong go by the name of Sea Goddess Temple, rather than Ma Zu Temple in South China. Secondly, based on legends and literary inscriptions, it is universally acknowledged that Ma Zu is the daughter of Lin Yuan, an on-site inspector of the Northern Song Dynasty, while the wife of Dragon King is a fictional figure in folk tales. What’s more, Ma Zu is a slim and graceful girl, who remains unmarried until her death at the age of 27, while the Jiaodong Goddess is a stately and married lady with a son. Meanwhile, there are also two different Dragon Kings worshiped by local people in Rongcheng. One is the Dragon King of the sea; the other is the Dragon King Li, who, according to legend, has no tail.

The diversity of Sea Goddesses can be attributed to the harmonious co-existence of ocean culture and Confucian culture. Hopes pined on the sea

“When you go fishing on the sea, your only concern should be to stand stably on your boat, because you have given your life to the God as a deposit!” This old saying, which has a large circulation among local fishermen, reflects the tremendous danger of offshore fishing operation. To minimize potential danger, a set of rules have been established among the fishermen, such as either father or son aboard, no alcohol on the boat and absolute obedience, etc. Moreover, fishermen start to pray for the blessing from Gods, such as Sea Goddess and Dragon King. This kind of spiritual sustenance has by and by evolved into ceremonial rites like Grain Rain.

In the past, shrine and censer offering sacrifices for Sea Goddess in particular was positioned in the cabin of sailing vessels for marine transportation. If struck by a storm, fishermen would piously burn joss sticks and kowtow to pray for the blessing of Sea Goddess. Meanwhile, they also made promises for what kinds of sacrifices they would like offer to the Goddess if they return home safe and sound.

After arriving home, the Captain had to tell the owner of the vessel about the fishermen’s promises to the Goddess, following which they would prepare sacrifices and hire an opera troupe to play traditional operas in front of the temple for as long as three days. It is said that if all precautionary measures against distress on the sea turn out in vain, the Sea Goddess will bring a lantern and hang it on the mast. The higher the lantern is placed, the greater peril fishermen will get into; and the lower it is placed, the safer fishermen will be.

Many sailors and fishermen claim that they have had such experiences before with immense certainty. If someone ventures to disprove it, the fisherman will definitely get all cheesed off and turn down all the person’s offers of friendship. The fact that no one has witnessed such marvels with his own eyes, however, cannot stop this beautiful legend from evolving into a unique and hilarious Grain Rain ceremony.

Nowadays, the reality that the exhaustion of fishery resources is getting more and more severe has caused many fishermen to change their lifestyles. With the disuse of fishing boats and the implementation of the plan, “let fishermen settle down inland,” Grain Rain has transformed from a traditional ceremony of fishermen to a tour festival with folk culture, which also signals the development of Chinese civilization.