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Ariana Lindquist
SHPN-MAZU-2907.tif
Mazu is carried through Meizhou’s main square where 10,000 people have gathered to celebrate her birthday.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) still struggles with how to deal with the resurgence of folk religion. The CCP adheres to a traditional point of view that folk religion is not “institutional religion” like Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam. Instead, the government views folk religion as a set of traditional beliefs and practices. Because of this, believers who want to revive religious customs and local government officials who wish to increase tourism to an area may use the political strategy of classifying folk religious practice as cultural heritage. In 2009 UNESCO designated Mazu worship as “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.”
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) still struggles with how to deal with the resurgence of folk religion. The CCP adheres to a traditional point of view that folk religion is not “institutional religion” like Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam. Instead, the government views folk religion as a set of traditional beliefs and practices. Because of this, believers who want to revive religious customs and local government officials who wish to increase tourism to an area may use the political strategy of classifying folk religious practice as cultural heritage. In 2009 UNESCO designated Mazu worship as “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.”
