明清海上丝绸之路上的妈祖信仰

Mazu Belief on the Silk Road in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

中世纪是神权的时代,科学技术尚未昌明,人们航行海上遭遇大自然的不可抗力,只能从精神上寄托于上天神灵的庇佑。妈祖信仰的兴起、传播、发展,与宋代及其后的高丽、琉球册封使直接相关,妈祖信仰与海上丝绸之路几乎同时产生。妈祖信仰作为海上丝绸之路的精神支柱,并不完全是虚幻缥缈的,妈祖信仰在外洋海船与外洋航路上都留下了实实在在的鲜明印记,本文试申论之。

The Middle Ages were the era of theocracy.The science and technology were not developed then.People who were sailing on the sea encountered the force majeure of nature could only be spiritually pinned on the blessing of the gods.The rise,spread,and development of Mazu belief are directly related to the envoys of Song Dynasty,Goryeo and Ryukyu.Therefore,Mazu belief and the Maritime Silk Road are produced almost simultaneously.As the spiritual pillar of the Maritime Silk Road,Mazu belief is not completely illusory.It has left a vivid mark on the foreign sea-going vessels and shipping routes.This paper attempts to discuss it.