Meizhou Island, most famous for being the legendary birthplace of the goddess Matsu, is located closely offshore of Putian.
The Heavenly Empress Palace-Meizhou Ancestral Temple (天后宮湄洲祖廟) started as a small shrine soon after Matsu's death in the 10th century. It is now renovated and greatly enlarged to accommodate the pilgrims.
In June 1988, Meizhou became an open provincial tourism economic region. And in April 1992, Taiwanese were allowed to have landing visas on the island, and in October of the same year, it became a national tourism-vacation region. In October 1999, the island is formally opened to foreign nations.
Annually, 100,000 Taiwanese pilgrims come to Meizhou to see the place where Matsu once lived. Some pilgrims make the visit every year. A celebration takes place in October, with 1,200 attending.
