Magang Tianhou Temple Introduction
According to historical records, Mazu, whose birth name is Lin Moniang, sacrificed herself at the age of 16 to save her father and brother who were caught in a storm while fishing at sea. She perished in the process, and it is believed that her body drifted to Aokou in Matsu. Grateful for Lin Moniang's filial piety, the villagers of Matsu buried her at the Matsu Village Makan Tianhou Temple's spiritual site. The most special feature of the Mazu Tianhou Temple is the spiritual site of Mazu, referred to as the "Flesh Body Spiritual Site" by locals. This temple undergoes renovations almost every 20 years, but it is said that Mazu has repeatedly manifested to instruct that the stone coffin spiritual site should not be altered in any way. Only in recent years, out of consideration for the many tourists, did Mazu agree to allow the temple to cover the spiritual site with reinforced glass and add stone-carved dragons for protection.
