Description of the attraction
The temple of the goddess A-Ma is perhaps one of the oldest in Macau. The palace of the goddess was built more than six centuries ago, during the Ming dynasty - at the end of the 14th century, Macau was leased to Portugal.
There is a legend according to which the girl A-Ma tried to get on a ship bound for Canton. But a wealthy shipowner refused her. The kind and modest fisherman took pity on the girl, inviting her to cross in his boat. Wind and storm raged everywhere, and around the boat, in which the girl and the fisherman were, there was an absolutely calm sea. After the boat landed on the shore, the girl suddenly turned into a goddess who is the keeper of fishermen and sailors, who built a temple in her honor on this place.
Several pavilions and prayer halls that make up the entire premises of the temple are located on the slope of the hill. The main buildings of the temple are called: Hall of Generosity, Memorial Arch, Buddhist Pavilion and Hall of Guanyin. In front of the temple complex itself is a square paved with red and gray cobblestones brought here from Portugal. The drawing laid out on the pavement resembles sea waves.
The architectural style of the temple was sustained in Chinese traditions - beautiful and small turrets with upturned eaves. Here and today, in honor of the goddess - the protector of sailors, services are held. The cult of the goddess A-Ma is also supported in other regions of China located near Macau. It is believed that the goddess protects the city, which means that the fishermen are obliged to worship her.
The temple is surrounded by stone statues of lions, protecting the holy place from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, giving visitors a feeling of inner harmony with the world.
When the New Year is celebrated in China, an incredible number of pilgrims flock to this temple, praying for happiness and good fortune in the coming year.
