“Did you know that the Nansha Tin Hau Palace is known as the ‘First Tin Hau Palace under Heaven’?” This grand temple honors Mazu. Mazu is the Goddess of the Sea. She is also called Tianhou meaning Heavenly Empress.
Nansha Tin Hau Palace faces the Lingding Ocean. This is the mouth of the Pearl River. The palace is on the southeastern slope of Dajiao Mountain. It covers about 100 hectares. That is about 247 acres. The architecture is amazing. It combines the style of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It also has the sublimity of Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum in Nanjing. It is the largest palace compound of its kind in the world. It is also the biggest Mazu Temple in southeastern Asia.
Let’s dive into the history of Nansha Tin Hau Palace. Mazu’s real name was Lin Mo. She lived from 960 to 987. Many stories tell of her helping people in shipwrecks. People believed she was the incarnation of the Goddess of the Sea. Over 100 million believers in more than twenty countries pay homage to her.
The original palace was built in the Ming Dynasty between 1368 and 1644. It was renovated during Emperor Qianlong’s reign from 1737 to 1795 in the Qing Dynasty. Sadly it was later ruined. The palace you see now was rebuilt in 1994. It was completed in 1996.
As you arrive you will first reach Tin Hau Square. The square covers 1.5 hectares which equals about 3.7 acres. A huge statue of the Goddess stands at the center. The statue faces the Lingding Ocean. It is about 14.5 meters high. That is about 47.6 feet. It is made of 365 pieces of granite. This symbolizes Mazu’s blessing of fishermen. She brings favorable weather all year.
Behind the square is the memorial archway. The palace name is written on top. Inscriptions are on both sides. After passing through it you will reach the main gate. Here are statues of two legendary immortals. They are Clairvoyance and Clairaudience. Clairvoyance has a thousand-mile eye. Clairaudience has a wind-accompanying ear.
Walking up the flagged path you will come to the Hall of Blessing. Here a statue of the Heavenly Empress is honored. Four Dragon Kings guard her. They are the Gods of the Sea. They hold up a jade tablet and stand on each side. The Main Hall is next. It is the center of the whole palace. Two statues of the Goddess are honored in a shrine. One is 3.8 meters high which equals about 12.5 feet. It is plated and carved from fragrant sandalwood. The other is a ‘soft-body’ statue. Its hand and foot joints are movable. The entire Main Hall feels benevolent majestic righteous and holy. Behind it is the Resting Hall. This was the Goddess’s living room. A sitting sculpture of the goddess is displayed. Simple instruments of her daily life are also there.
At the very back of the Nansha Tin Hau Palace is the Nanling Tower. This is an eight-story building. It rises 45 meters high which equals about 148 feet. It is the highest point of the whole palace. There is an unwritten folklore. It is widely spread among Chinese people. The code of a God is singular. The code of a Goddess is plural. Because of that all stories steps and tiles are plural.
There are also seven forts. They are called Dajiao Mountain Forts. They are listed as national priority cultural relic protection sites since 1982. The Free Life Pond is also worth visiting. Tourists can set free small creatures there. Every year this place attracts many visitors. They come for its charming beauty and classical buildings. The Nansha Tin Hau Palace definitely deserves a visit.
Remember the tale of Mazu. Her spirit permeates this sacred space. May your visit bring you blessings and peace.