May 9 | A-MA Festival

Written on May 7, 2007 by admin

A-Ma is a Taoist goddess and is particularly revered in Macau. Also known as Tin Hau, she is the deity of fisher folk and other seafarers. Legend told of the story where a junk, while sailing across the South China Sea, was caught in a tremendous storm and was about to sink.

All aboard were terrified but at the last minute, a beautiful young woman stood up and ordered the elements to calm down. It did and the junk reached land safely. This mysterious woman is none other than the Goddess A-Ma.

A temple was built on the spot where she landed and it is still there to this day, on the Inner Harbor. The name Macau came to be when many centuries later, when Portuguese soldiers asked for the name of the place, the locals replied “A-Ma-Gao” (Bay of A-Ma).

It was eventually shortened to Macau. In recent times, a statue of A-Ma was erected on the highest point of Coloane Island. A day when seafarers and their families visit the ancient temple, during the A-Ma Festival, offerings are made. There are also performances of Chinese opera.

Source : Wikipedia

Fodor’s Hong Kong, 20th Edition: With Macau and the South China Cities (Fodor’s Gold Guides)