The opening ceremony of 11th China Meizhou Mazu Cultural Tourism Festival was held on the morning of 1st November, on Meizhou Island in east China's Fujian Province.
Over 450 Mazu pilgrims from both sides and 60 Mazu pilgrims from 20 countries were participated in the opening ceremony. The 11th China Meizhou Mazu Cultural Tourism Festival was concluded on 10th November.
Mazu, "the Goddess of Peace of the Straits," is believed to be born on Meizhou Island, and this attracts a large number of Mazu pilgrims from across the world every year.
Meizhou has the world's first Mazu temple, the ancestor of the other 3,000 Mazu temples scattered in more than 20 countries and regions of China.
The number of Mazu followers exceeds 100 million worldwide, and the number in Taiwan has reached 16 million, accounting for 75 percent of the total population of the island province.
In recent years, more than 150,000 Taiwan compatriots have come to Meizhou annually to pay respect to the Goddess of the Sea.
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