A goddess reborn

Global Gen Z explores the legacy of an ancient Chinese goddess and her enduring influence as a spiritual bond fostering international exchange, Gui Qian reports.

Wearing her hair in a bun resembling a ship's sail and dressed in a blue top symbolizing the sea, Nikita Li Van Heerden from South Africa immersed herself in the Mazu atmosphere of Meizhou Island in Putian, East China's Fujian province.

According to legend, the original Meizhou hair bun was designed by Mazu herself, the revered goddess of the sea.

Van Heerden, 22, took part in the 2024 Global Gen Z Dialogue on Meizhou Island, co-organized by China Daily and the Putian Municipal People's Government on Nov 18.