Dance drama celebrates the Sea Goddess of Peace

The original dance drama Mazu was officially unveiled on Meizhou Island in Fujian province, the birthplace of Mazu culture, on May 17.

Centered on the UNESCO-listed intangible cultural heritage of Mazu belief, the production, co-staged by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group, tells the story of Lin Moniang, the historical figure known as the Sea Goddess of Peace, through contemporary dance. The drama blends Fujian and Taiwan folk traditions, modern symphonic music and immersive visual design to highlight Mazu's enduring spirit of virtue, compassion and love.

"As China's most influential goddess of the sea, Mazu is at the center of a host of beliefs and customs, including oral traditions, religious ceremonies and folk practices throughout the country's coastal areas. Mazu is believed to have lived in the 10th century on Meizhou Island, where she was dedicated to helping her fellow townspeople, and died attempting to rescue the survivors of a shipwreck," according to UNESCO, which added Mazu beliefs and customs to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.