Maritime history: Lim (fifth from right) and Li (fourth from left) with other invitees during the launch of the Mazu Exhibition Hall at the Cheng Ho Cultural Museum, Melaka.
MELAKA: Long before satellites guided ships and GPS plotted safe courses across the oceans, ancient Chinese seafarers placed their hopes upon Mazu, the goddess of the sea, to protect them through perilous journeys.
For generations, the goddess was the spiritual compass in treacherous waters.
Even Admiral Cheng Ho, one of history’s greatest navigators, sought Mazu’s blessings before embarking on his voyages.
Mazu is believed to be the deified form of a young woman named Lin Mo from Meizhou Island in Fujian, China, who lived in the 10th century.
A statue of Mazu has stood in Melaka for nearly three centuries, bearing witness to the historic city’s maritime history and its cultural ties with China.
On Saturday, state MCA chairman Datuk Lim Ban Hong launched the Mazu Exhibition Hall at the Cheng Ho Cultural Museum in Bandar Hilir.
“The establishment of this exhibition hall enriches the state’s cultural landscape and marks another important step in Malaysia-China cultural relations.
“It’s an example of people-to-people connectivity and contributes to enhancing the appeal of local cultural tourism,” he said in an interview.
Lim said the exhibition highlights both Mazu’s cultural legacy and the spirit of Admiral Cheng Ho’s voyages, which in turn deepens intercultural understanding.
He expressed hope that the initiative would attract more tourists from China, especially from maritime provinces such as Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangsu, as well as international visitors.
“I would like to thank the Cheng Ho Cultural Museum for their meticulous work and tireless efforts in creating this new exhibition space dedicated to Mazu,” he added.
According to acting museum curator Li Pei Feng, experts confirmed in 2023 that the Mazu statue here dates back to between 1660 and 1780, making it one of the oldest known representations of the goddess in the state.
He said that several accounts of Mazu safeguarding Admiral Cheng Ho were documented in the Tian-Fei Xian-Sheng-Lu, a record compiled during the Ming Dynasty.
The exhibition also reinforces Melaka’s role as a cultural beacon, Li added.
