Cultural governance of Mazu religious tourism

Mazu, also known as A-Ma or Tianhou, is a sea goddess revered by over 200 million devotees and holds a unique historical and cultural significance in Macau. This relationship has evolved profoundly since Macau’s 1999 handover and the 2005 UNESCO recognition of Mazu heritage. Central to this transformation are two developments: the establishment of the A-Ma Cultural Village and the introduction of the A-Ma Cultural and Tourism Festival. Adopting a cultural governance framework based on anthropological research, interviews and informal conversations with various stakeholders, devotees, and visitors in Macau, Taiwan and mainland China, this study reveals the socio-economic and political significance of these developments. It uncovers a collaborative dynamics between state actors (the Macau and Chinese governments) and non-state actors (the Fujian community and Taiwanese Mazu temples). By mobilizing the cult of Mazu, they drive Macau’s economic diversification through Mazu-related tourism while fostering cross-Strait cultural and religious exchanges. This aligns with mainland China’s religious united front strategy under the ‘one country, two systems’ framework. The evolving interplay between the Mazu cult, cross-Strait relations, and Macau’s economic diversification highlights a distinctive state-religion dynamic reshaping trilateralties. This transformation reflects not only localized economic strategies but also the extension of mainland China’s cultural governance model into the special administrative region.