 | ||
Shui Wei Sheng Niang (Chinese: 水尾圣娘; pinyin: Shuǐ wěi shèng niáng; Thai: Caw Mae Thong Kham, Caw Mae Thab Thim) is a Hainan goddess that is worshiped by the Hainanese around the world, especially they who lives on the waterfront area. She is often worshipped with Mazu and 108 Xiongdi Gong. Her cult was spread along with Hainanese diaspora in the end of Qing dynasty. Her birthday is celebrated on 15th day of the 10th month of the lunar calendar.
Contents
First temple
A fisherman named Pan was lived in Wenchang county, Hainan Island. One day, he caught a block of wood which he threw back into the sea, but it was happening again for a few days. Finally Pan though that the wood has a magical power and asked for a great catch. He promised that he would build a shrine to enshrined the wood if his prayer was granted. Pan's prayer actually granted but he didn't have money to build a shrine, so he left the wood outside his house. Suddenly his pigs went ill and his neighbors saw a woman sit on the branch of his longan wood. It made him remember to his promise. His neighbors raised funds for the construction of the temple and prayed to ask where they should build the new temple. Suddenly a kid come and show them the location for the temple. Those temple is the first temple for Goddess Shui Wei.
Title from palace
A Hainanese scholar named Zhang was emerged third in the imperial examination during the reign of Daoguang Emperor. One day, the emperor when to Hainan Island and became very ill. The imperial court sent a messenger to summon Zhang but he already warned by the goddess through a dream that the emperor would soon pass. After returned to Beijing, the emperor was passing a week later. These miraculous event led the imperial court gave her a title nán tiān shǎndiàn gǎnyìng huǒ shuǐ wěi shèng niáng (南天闪电感应火雷水尾圣娘).
Thailand
Almost every Hainanese households on the northern part of Thailand have an altar for Goddess Shui Wei. In Thailand, she is known as Caw Mae Thab Thim, but Wang Thong market's Hainanese prefer to call her Caw Mae Thong Kham. Caw Mae Thong Kham has more local sense than Caw Mae Thab Thim and even the non-Hainanese Wang Thong's communities feel belonging to the goddess. Otherwise, the communities outside Wang Thong market feel excluded from Caw Mae Thong Kham cult.
Indonesia
The cult of Shui Wei is spread along the Hainese communities in Indonesia. The oldest Chinese temple in Bali, i.e. Caow Eng Bio Temple at Benoa Cape, worship her as the principal deity of the temple along with 108 Xiongdi Gong. The other temple that worship her as the tutelary deity is Cao Fuk Miao at Denpasar.