【外刊英语精读】你敢对妈祖发誓吗 | Mazu belief mediates disputes

Mazu belief helps mediate disputes妈祖信仰助力调解纠纷The spirit of Mazu is being used to mediate in disputes on a resort island of Putian, Fujian province, as locals dare not lie in front of the revered sea goddess, judicial officials who introduced the program said.介绍该项目的司法官员表示，福建省莆田市的一个度假岛屿正在利用妈祖精神来调解纠纷，因为当地人不敢在这位受人尊敬的海神面前撒谎。The Mazu Dispute Mediation Center was established in recent years under the Office of Justice in Meizhou Island.近年来，湄洲镇司法所成立了“妈祖评理室”。The island is the birthplace of Mazu culture, which advocates doing good deeds and values such as peace, harmony and inclusiveness.该岛是妈祖文化的发源地，崇尚行善积德，倡导和平、和谐、包容等价值观。Yang Yang, director of the office of justice in the township, said: "We use it (Mazu mediation) to guide people involved in disputes to reason, speak the truth and abide by the rules. It has turned out to be effective due to the strong belief in Mazu among local people."该镇司法所所长杨炀说：“我们使用妈祖调解来引导纠纷当事人讲道理、说实话并守规矩。由于当地人对妈祖有着强烈的信仰，因此这种方式被证明是很有效的。”The walls of the mediation room are inscribed with symbols of Mazu culture depicting peace and harmony, and there is a large portrait of the sea goddess.调解室的墙壁上刻有妈祖文化中描绘和平与和谐的符号，还有大幅的妈祖画像。In front of the portrait is a long table where the parties involved in a dispute sit, along with those taking part in the mediation process, including police officers, court representatives, lawyers and respected citizens.画像前有一张长桌，桌上坐着纠纷当事人以及参与调解过程的人员，包括警察、法院代表、律师和德高望重的乡民。The mediation process starts with a ritual where all participants stand facing the portrait of Mazu. Both sides are asked whether they are willing to talk under the watchful eye of Mazu, Yang said.调解过程先从一个仪式开始，所有参加者面向妈祖的肖像站立。杨炀说，双方都会被问及是否愿意在妈祖的注视下进行交谈。"This ceremonial practice helps create a solemn atmosphere at the beginning and prevents the parties sitting on opposite sides with angry faces. The mediation team then guides them to consider each other's perspective," Yang said.“这种仪式性的做法有助于在开始时营造庄严的气氛，避免双方坐在对面，一脸愤怒。然后调解小组引导他们考虑彼此的观点。”杨炀说。"Local people have been raised to revere Mazu from a young age, and they rarely lie in her presence," he said, adding that participants are frequently reminded that Mazu is watching them during the process, which encourages them to be virtuous and good.他说：“当地人从小就被教育尊崇妈祖，他们很少在妈祖面前说谎。”他补充说，参与者经常被提醒说，妈祖在这个过程中一直在注视着他们，从而起到鼓励他们行善的作用。Yang recalled one difficult case where a man had lied and made inconsistent statements.杨炀回忆起一个棘手的案例，一名男子撒了谎，并发表了前后矛盾的陈述。The mediation team took him to the Mazu Ancestral Temple, which evoked a more solemn and sacred atmosphere. In this environment, the man started to tell the truth.调解小组把他带到了妈祖祖庙，气氛更加庄严神圣。在这样的环境下，男人开始说出实话。Since the launch of the mediation center in 2019, about 200 cases involving family, marriage, land and labor disputes have been resolved. Many were long-standing and a challenge to resolve, even for experienced mediators, he said.调解中心自2019年启动以来，已解决约200起涉及家庭、婚姻、土地、劳动纠纷的案件。他说，许多问题是长期存在的，即使对于经验丰富的调解员来说也是一个需要解决的挑战。The goddess is considered a guardian of the lives of fishermen and is widely respected in Fujian, Taiwan and overseas, and lies at the heart of numerous beliefs and customs, including religious ceremonies and folk practices.妈祖被认为是渔民生命的守护者，在福建、台湾和海外受到广泛的尊重，并且是许多信仰和习俗的核心，包括宗教仪式和民间习俗。前往小宇宙评论区与主播互动