Xiamen Airline’s flight attendants made sure the statues “enjoyed” their trip to the full. - Handout/The South China Morning Post
XIAMEN: Two statues of Mazu, or the “Goddess of the Sea” have been flown from Xiamen to Taiwan after the airline issued a special boarding pass under the name “Lin Mo,” to denote a cultural exchange between the two places.
On March 29, the statues boarded Xiamen Airlines flight MF881 and departed from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport in southeastern China for Taiwan.
Trending videos which show crew members carefully carrying the statues into the cabin quickly went viral online.
One of the statues featured the main deity called “Black-faced Mazu”, who earned the name for her face turning completely black when using her powers to repel the attackers and protect her hometown.
The other statue featured a soft pink-tone face, symbolising a warm and loving mother figure.
The airline issued a special boarding pass for the statues under the name “Lin Mo” and provided customised extended safety belts for them with extra red ropes to ensure they remained secure during the flight.
Due to their large size, the airline also coordinated in advance with the airport, customs and immigration authorities, and security departments to ensure special arrangements were made.
Measures included dedicated check-in counters, an exclusive waiting area, and a fast track security screening lane.
Mazu was originally called “Lin Mo” and was born in 960 on Meizhou Island, Fujian province, eastern China.
She possessed extraordinary skills, such as curing people’s illness and predicting weather, earning a reputation as a protector of fishermen and sailors.
At the age of 28, she dedicated herself to helping fellow townspeople and tragically died while attempting to rescue the survivors of a shipwreck.
In 2009, the Mazu beliefs and customs were inscribed on Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list, a first for China.
Today, Mazu is worshipped in nearly 5,000 temples worldwide, including more than 500 in Taiwan, and nearly 70 per cent of Taiwan’s population of 17 million are devotees.
In 1997, the Mazu statue from the mainland made its first journey to Taiwan.
According to the Global Times, the two statues taken this time were larger than those on earlier trips and were accompanied by more ceremonial items.
Online observers expressed their wishes, hoping that the statues could strengthen the connection between the mainland and the island.
One person said: “May Mazu bless the world with peace and prosperity for China and its people!”
While another wrote: “Chinese culture is the shared lifeblood of people on both sides. Taiwan independence forces can never sever this bond. The reunification of the motherland will surely be achieved!” - The South China Morning Post
