Despite a heavy downpour, thousands of devout fishermen, visitors, and guests from neighboring islands, Hong Kong, and Macao gathered May 27 on Guishan Island to celebrate the birthday of Tin Hau (Matsu, Goddess of the Southern Sea).

A delayed ferry carried the first groups of visitors from Xiangzhou Port to the island at 10:10 am. Once on land, they burned incense sticks and prayed for blessings at the nearby ritual site.

Trumpets blew and drums beat, people paid tribute at an altar set up in the hillside Tin Hau Temple, and elegies were recited. Accompanied by lion dances, the Tin Hau statue was then paraded to the ceremonial site.

Tin Hau statue borne in the rain

The atmosphere was further excited up as ferries delivered more visitors to Guishan in the abating rain. Thousands joined the 300-table feast at dusk, while an auction sent the proceedings late into the night.

Tin Hau, also known as Matsu, is revered by seafarers who appeal to her for wellbeing, prosperity, and favorable weather. Her birthday has been celebrated on the 23rd day of the fourth lunar month for more than 200 years on Guishan, and is listed as a municipal intangible cultural heritage.

The 2019 Guishan Island Country Tourism & Culture Festival, an ingenious combination of Tin Hau's birthday celebrations and local folk culture, tourism, culinary, and cultural-creative resources, received 5,000 visitors during the three-day event.

Matsu's palanquin bearers

300-table feast [Photos by Chen Lin / Zhuhai Daily]