Maguang Tianhou Temple Introduction
According to historical records, Mazu, originally named Lin Moniang, sacrificed herself at the age of 16 to rescue her father and brother who were caught in a storm while fishing at sea. She perished in the process, and it is said that her body drifted to the current location in Matsu's Aokou. Grateful for Lin Moniang's filial piety, the villagers of Matsu buried her at the Ma Gang Tian Hou Temple's spiritual crypt. What makes the Mazu Tian Hou Temple particularly special is that it houses Mazu's spiritual crypt, known locally as the "flesh body spiritual crypt." This temple undergoes renovations approximately every 20 years, but it is said that Mazu has repeatedly manifested to instruct that the stone sarcophagus and spiritual crypt should not be disturbed. Only in recent years, to accommodate the influx of tourists, has Mazu agreed to let the temple cover the spiritual crypt with reinforced glass and add stone-carved dragons for protection.
