Meizhou Island is famous as the site that gave birth to the cult of the sea goddess Mazu. Today, it stands as a unique environment where religious pilgrimage, mass tourism, traditional farming techniques, and strict conservation policies co-exist in a fragile balance. In 2022, architect Xu Tiantian and her studio DnA were invited to design a tribute to the island’s intangible heritage.

This month, as many around the world return to this revered site in pilgrimage for the anniversary of Mazu’s passing, we invite you to join us for a screening of the documentary 进岛方向 / Into the Island / À travers l’île, followed by a Q & A with curatorial assistant Irene Chin at the Centre d’études et des croyances de la Chine à Montréal, 1065 Rue de Bleury.

The discussion will be held in English and Cantonese.

进岛方向 / Into the Island / À travers l’île (CCA, 2024, 41 min) follows Tiantian in her discovery of the essential elements, pressure points, and issues related to the destabilizing terrain of the ocean and its delicate ecosystem. Directed by Joshua Frank, this film is a snapshot of a fluid design process, a story of encounters, and a narrative composed through the fragments of an evolving culture and fluctuating landscape.