Macao honors sea goddess Mazu with rituals, procession

MACAO -- A statue of Mazu, a Chinese sea goddess, was paraded through the streets of China's Macao Special Administrative Region on Tuesday as the 19th A-Ma Cultural and Tourism Festival opened.

The opening ceremony at A-Ma Cultural Village was followed by traditional rites honoring the goddess, with the procession taking place in the afternoon.

The festival showcases traditional craftsmanship from East China's Fujian province. An exhibition that opened Monday featured 56 works, including ceramics, woodcarvings and lacquerware.

Chan Meng Kam, chairman of the organizing committee, described Fujian as the birthplace of Mazu culture and Macao as an important gateway for its spread overseas. He said he hoped shared Mazu traditions would help strengthen cooperation among Fujian, Macao and China's Taiwan region.

At a seminar on Monday, scholars discussed how Mazu traditions have evolved in different communities, their role in exchanges across the Taiwan Strait and ways to pass them on in the digital age. Participants issued an initiative calling for the preservation of Mazu culture.

Ho Hau-wah, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Macao SAR Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai were among those attending the opening ceremony.

The festival is organized by the Goddess A-Ma Foundation of Macau and sponsored by the Macao Foundation.