September Mazu Ascension Day
The annual “Mazu in Matsu: Ascension Day” is held during Chongyang Festival, on the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar, said to be the day that Mazu ascended to the heavens as a goddess.
In recent years, to commemorate Mazu's selfless sacrifice and generous spirit, the people of the Matsu Islands have held Mazu Ascension Day events, hoping to make "Mazu in Matsu" more than a slogan, and to let people remember Mazu's kindness and devotion to her father.
Events include an ascension ceremony, a fair, traditional performances, an evening prayer gathering for safety and good fortune, an academic seminar on Mazu, and more. Invited delegations from 36 temples from Taiwan, as well as from Meizhou, offshore islands and other regions burn incense for Mazu. In October 2009, the world's tallest statue of Mazu was completed, a further expression of the people of Mazu's respect for the goddess.