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Every year the festival of Tin Hau is celebrated in China on the 23rd day of the Third Moon which usually falls during late April or early May. This festival is a commemoration of a young girl called Mo Niang. According to history, the girl was renamed as Tin Hau meaning the “Queen of Heaven” and started to be regarded as the “Mother” of the sailors and boat people.
>As legend says, the birth of Tin Hau took place in the year 1093 in a place called Fukien in China. One fine morning she bid adieu to her father and brother as they went fishing. After they were gone, she went into a deep slumber and dreamt that her father and brother were drowning in the sea. At this very point, she boarded the clouds and flew over the waters over miles to protect her family members and also succeeded in doing so.Also said to possess extraordinary powers, Tin Hau was capable of predicting storms and fortunes of the travelers of the sea. But to everybody’s surprise she died at an early age of twenty years.
In China, one may come across numerous temples and shrines dedicated solely to her spirit. During the Tin Hau Festival, the boat people and the sailors sail to Da Miao (The Great Temple) situated on the Joss House Bay and pay their reverence to the goddess. The sailors believe that by doing so they would be blessed by the goddess and subsequently they would be able to ensure safe and happy journeys throughout the whole year.
So, if you are planning to visit China anytime soon then do draw up a tour schedule with Tin Hau Festival figuring prominently in the “Places to be Visited” list and have a memorable and enjoyable journey.
For more information on other festivals celebrated around the globe, do visit
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