User:Nlu/sandbox/Tianfei Palace (Songjiang)

Musings About the Tianhou Palace by Feng Meizhuang

On May 24, 2006, the Xinwen Wanbao had an article that stated, "Excavator at Mazu's Temple, Museum Calls for Protection." This article was referring to the site at Henan North Road, No. 3, which is the only historical site dedicated to Mazu in Shanghai proper - which was registered in 2000 on Zhabei District's registry of Culturally Protected Places. This Tianhou Palace was built in 1883 (the ninth year of Guangxu, during Qing), and has a 124-year history. It is the only late-Qing historical building still existing in Zhabei.

There is a long history of the use of the name "Tianhou." Tianhou is also referred to as Lin Fei and Tianfei. She was from Putian, Fujian, and was the sixth daughter of surveyor Lin Yuan, during the Min state of the Five Dynasties era. When she was born, there were divine lights and unusual aromas. She understood mysteries, and could predict what should be done or not done. The people in the countryside, when they reported their illnesses to her, would be healed. She was able to pass over the sea on a straw mat, and visit various islands. According to the Daqing Huidian, "After she died, her spirit hovered over the sea. Whenever those on ships encountered treacherous winds or waves, they would call out, 'Holy Mother!' and there would be fires and aromatic flowers appearing on the sea, and they would gain peace." The Daqing Huidian was full of miracles performed by the Tianhou, and therefore she received titles from various dynasties. She was initially created Lady Linghui, but after she saved fleets from dangerous many times, she became known to the fishermen to be the goddess of seafaring (or Mazu), and they reported this to the Emperor. Therefore, an emperor created her to be Tianhou. During Yuan and Ming, she was created "Tianfei," and then, during Qing, from 1680 (19th year of Kangxi) to 1872 (11th year of Tongzhi), she was given progressively longer titles 16 times, and the final title had 60 characters. For this reason, the coastal places and those who conducted business over the sea all worshipped Tianhou, particularly in Southeast Asia; the Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau regions of China; and our country's southeast coastal region.

Shanghai, which is on the Yangtze and the sea, had long had history of naval navigation ever since ancient times. In those days, when ships were to be launched for long journeys, people would offer sacrifices to Mazu in hopes of peace on the way. In Shanghai's history, there had been three Mazu temples, but after wars and other manmade disasters, no traces are left to be found of the Shengfei Palace and the South Shengfei Palace. There was another location on the northeast side of Shanghai, toward the Lesser Eastern Gate and Shiliu Pu area — the Shunji Temple (which was also known popularly as Danfeng Tower) first built in 1271 (7th year of Xianchun during Song); at that time, there were buildings dedicated to Wenchang (i.e., Wenchang Wang), Guan Di (i.e., Guan Yu), and Lei Zu. During Ming, with help from the gentry and others in Shanghai, there were continued expansions such that it began to become impressive. In 1553 (32nd year of Jiajing in Ming), in order to defend against the Wako, Shanghai's city walls were built. The Wanjun Post at the northeast corner happened to be at the location of the Shunji Temple, and therefore the Temple was destroyed. After the Wako were quelled, the gentry of Shanghai commissioned the Taoist monk Gu Gongyuan to rebuild Tianhou Palace at the Archery Tower, but it was still then referred to as Danfeng Tower. Danfeng Tower was built on top of the Wanjun Post at the northeast corner of the wall, and therefore became the highest building in Shanghai. "Therefore the surrounding rivers and plains, the movement of smoke and clouds, the rising and the setting of the sun, were all observable within sight, and the snowfall in the winter and the crashing waves of the fall were particularly impressive. The mountains then known as the three holy mountains - the Fanghu, the Yuanjiao, and the Daiyu, could all be barely seen.  The impressiveness of the tower prevailed over the region." At the start of Qing, climbing up the Danfeng Tower to view the Huangpu River was referred to as Tanlou Yuantiao and was included in the Eight Sights of the Hu City (i.e., Shanghai). In 1812 (11th year of Jiaqing in Qing), the surveyor of the circuit, Zhong Qi, called on the people to donate money to remodel it. In 1853 (third year of Xianfeng in Qing), the Small Swords Society occupied the city, and most of the tower was destroyed. Later, the abbott Feng Chaoyang again collected donations to repair it, and it took three years for the preliminary repairs to be complete. Later, much of the building was again destroyed.

Shanghai is a harbor city, with highly developed shipping and shipping-related industries, so every year, there would be many events dedicated to the Tianhou, next only to the Sanxunhui for the Cheng Huang (city god). According to the the Qing Shanghai writer Mao Xianglin, in his Moyulu, "Our city celebrates the birthday of the Tianhou on the 23rd day of the third month. First, the county magistrate would come out and declare it, sounding the gongs on the street and ordering the residents to hang lamps and tie ribbons for the celebration.  For a few days before and a few days after, the streets and markets outside the walls of the city would be lighted up with lamps and ribbons.  Such scene would go from the large street outside the greater eastern gate all the way to the southern gate, as well as the street of domestic and international commerce companies outside the lesser eastern gate (i.e., the modern Yangshuo Road), and north and south of the greater pass (i.e., near the Tianhou Palace), for several li.  There would be tall, colorful tents, with unstopping lamps.  The shops would compete with each other in their decorations, with displaces of Shang copper pots, Zhou ding, Qing mirrors, and Han boxes. Both the outside and the inside of the stores would be bright, and when one looked from a distance, they looked like silver mountains with fiery trees, with musky fragrance permeating the air. The city gates would not be closed, and for all night, people would walk throughout the city. The ships from within 100 li would come gather near the beaches of Pudong, numbering tens of thousands. Famed actors would put on plays, and those with unusual talents would display them. The sounds of songs would not rest for day and night. The lamps would begin to be more complete on the 19th and the 20th, and would end on the 24th and 25th day. ... Starting from the Xinchou year of Daoguang (i.e., 1841), there were many troubles in coastal defenses, such that soldiers had to be stationed to defend the city, and therefore the light festivals were cancelled. After the start of international commerce, the Chinese and the non-Chinese were living together, and to avoid trouble, the festival was banned."