Travel Guide Mayu Island 妈屿岛

Under the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), many merchant ships were already in Shantou. The sailors built a temple on this island to protect them when they resumed the sea: the temple of the Holy Sea, dedicated to Mazu (♀ ♀ ╩, mazu miao). This is the first temple dedicated to the goddess of the sea erected on the east coast of China. At the time, many chickens were raised near the temple and the island was called "chicken farming island" (Fangjishan). At the end of the Qing dynasty, it was renamed «Île de la Sainte Mer» (Mayu), according to the name of the famous temple. In 1858, the temple collapsed and a new, more important temple was built instead. The current building was completely renovated in 1983: architectural details are sumptuous and reflect the great mastery of local crafts (ceramics and terracotta terracotta, mosaics, wood and stone work) and traditional folklore (depictions of legends and customs).Also visit the temple of General Guan Yu (大รس, guanwang) and the original building of the customs administration established on the island by the British in 1860.