Ma Zu Couplet Sharing No. 4 (天上聖母媽祖對聯分享之四)

天上聖母媽祖對聯分享之四

南溟護航四海運行得助順
北宋封誥九天仙班稱聖妃

Ma Zu Couplet Sharing No. 4
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Nan Ming Hu Hang Si Hai Yun Xing De Zhu Shun
Bei Song Feng Gao Jiu Tian Xian Ban Cheng Sheng Fei

The earliest Bestowed title of Ma Zu was given to her in AD 1123 (北宋宣和五年) by Song Emperor Zhao Ji (宋徽宗趙佶), after Emperor Zhao Ji’s Ambassador Lu Yun Di (海外使路允迪) got rescued by Ma Zu while he was on his trip back from Korea (高麗國).

At that time, Ma Zu was not directly bestowed with the title Empress (天后) or Concubine (天妃), but instead, the title of Nv Shen (南海女神) – literally translated as the Immortal Maiden of the Southern Sea. And the name of the title that Emperor Zhao bestowed was known as Zhu Shun Temple (助順廟).

Soon, due to the popularity of Ma Zu, more titles were being bestowed to her by different Emperors of different Dynasties.

The very last bestowed title given to Ma Zu was in Qing Dynasty Tong Zhi 11 Years, which was AD 1872 (媽祖最後封號賜予清朝同治十一年), which added up to 66 Chinese Characters in her final bestowed title.