Mazu of Tianjin, Statue in Tianjin, China
The Mazu de Tianjin is a 42.3-meter-tall (about 139 ft) statue of the sea goddess Mazu, located in the Mazu Cultural Park in Tianjin's Binhai New Area. The figure is made from 858 stone blocks and shows the goddess standing upright in traditional robes, facing the sea.
The worship of Mazu was brought to Tianjin over 700 years ago by sailors from Fujian province, where the goddess was first venerated on Meizhou Island. The current statue was built in cooperation with the Dajia Zhenlan Temple from Taiwan and officially unveiled in September 2012.
Mazu is worshipped as the protector of sailors and fishermen, and her cult was brought to Tianjin centuries ago by seafarers from southern China. At the base of the statue, carved reliefs tell stories from her life, giving visitors a way to connect with the beliefs tied to her worship.
The statue stands in the Mazu Cultural Park in Binhai New Area, which is still being developed, so visitors should expect a large outdoor site that is not yet fully finished. The figure is visible from a good distance, making it easy to use as a landmark to orient yourself around the park.
At the 2012 unveiling ceremony, thousands of worshippers gathered from mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao to pay respects together. It was one of the few occasions where people from all four regions came together around a shared religious tradition.
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