Mazu Temple in Shenzhen 深圳天后宫: The Last Stop for Ming and Qing Envoys to Vietnam and other Southeast Asian Nations

Mazu Statue inside, photo by Jiang Wu

When I was in Shenzhen in May 2015, my friend brought me to the rebuilt Mazu Temple 深圳天后宫 in Chiwan. I thought there was nothing to see but only learned from a few inscriptions inside that it was the last stop that Chinese envoys left China for diplomatic missions to Southeast Asian countries, especially Vietnam. They sailed from Guangzhou and stopped here which is located at the mouth of Pearl River. The official envoys offered sacrifice and paid homage to Mazu for their safe journey.

Mazu Temple Gate, photo by Jiang Wu