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Xiongdi Gong (Hanzi=兄弟公; pinyin=xiōngdì gōng; Hokkien=Ya Ti Kong) or 108 Saints (Hainan 108 Brothers) are the protector deities of seafaring. They are usually worshiped along with Shui Wei Sheng Niang at Chinese temples near the sea by fishermen or seafarers.Their altar usually contain only one red faced scholar statue.
Xiongdi Gong greatly affected the spiritual life in Hainan. Their cult is spread along with the immigrant of Hainan around the world and has become one of Hainan's identity.
History
People of China was suffering under the imperialism of late Qing dynasty which triggered Chinese diaspora. On the time of Xianfeng Emperor (1831–1861), many Hainan people went to Annam (now Vietnam) to earn money for their families. Meantime, 109 men of Hainan planned to go home after their hard work to gain money. Another Hainan peoples who left in Annam also entrusted their saving or gift for their families to those 109 men. On their way back across the sea, the pirates captured their ships, toke their belonging, and killed them. But one man, the cook, managed to save because he was hiding under the deck.
After the incident, Vietnam shores went stormy and the flock of crows was crowding the king's palace. The seer of the king said that those crows had foretelling a great crime which was about going unpunished. After a long search, the king heard a news about a pirate which was captured at the market. One of Hainan people recognized the ring which was used by a stranger, the same ring that he entrusted to the 109 Hainan for the wedding gift of his brother. After a fight, both of them was arrested and the stranger admit his crime. The king ordered to capture the rest of the pirates and confiscated their loot. After that, the king performed a ritual prayer to appeased the unrest souls of the 108 Hainan brothers and the flock of crows was gone from his palace.
The tragedy of the 108 Hainan brothers had reached Hainan. The local people built a memorial temple for them and annually commemorating their death day on 27th day of the 5th lunar month. Hainan people worship them as the protectors of seafaring. The seafarers who want to go abroad usually pray to Xiongdi Gong and bring a cook as their witness.