世界上許多信仰中都可以找到掌管生育的神祇，例如韓國的三神奶奶、印度的雪山神女。而在台灣，就是道教中掌管生育的神明「註生娘娘」了！農曆三月二十日生日的註生娘娘，常被稱為「註生媽」，為保佑婦女懷孕、生產的女神，也常被作為不孕夫妻或孕婦的心靈寄託。特別的是在台灣，主祀註生娘娘的宮廟並不多，一般都供奉在觀世音菩薩或媽祖的偏殿。想要為娘娘祝壽的信眾可以準備紅龜粿、壽桃、紅蛋、鮮花水果等作為供品，且記得要多準備一份放主殿，另一份才供註生娘娘喔！
In many cultures around the world, there are deities who govern fertility. From Grandmother Samsin in Korea to the Hindu Goddess Parvati in India, these divine figures hold significant roles in the lives of those hoping for conception and safe childbirth. And in Taiwan, it's none other than the Taoist deity known as the Goddess of Childbirth, or "Mother of Fertility." With her birthday on the twentieth day of the third lunar month, the Goddess of Childbirth is revered for her blessings upon people seeking pregnancy and safe delivery and is often seen as a spiritual solace for infertile couples or expectant mothers. Interestingly in Taiwan, despite her significance, temples dedicated solely to the Goddess of Childbirth are relatively few, with her usually enshrined in the side halls of temples dedicated to Guanyin Bodhisattva or Mazu. Worshippers seeking to pray to the goddess on her birthday should prepare offerings such as red turtle cakes, longevity peaches, red eggs, and fresh flowers - don’t forget to prepare an additional portion for the main god of the temple for respect!
｜降妖除魔算什麼？ 會助產的女道士才厲害！Taoist Priestess or Midwife - Why Not Both?
關於註生娘娘的傳說有很多，其一為祂本名陳靖姑，又稱「臨水夫人」，曾是以降妖除魔聞名的女道士，後來發現安胎助產比除魔更難，因此成為孕產婦的守護神。另一為註生娘娘是「概念神」，是幫助過無數婦女產子的神靈聚合體。在台灣，註生娘娘的形象常見為左手持生育簿、右手拿筆，象徵記錄生育大事，通常供奉在觀音菩薩或媽祖的偏殿。
More than one legends surround the origin of the Goddess of Childbirth. One describes her as a renowned female Taoist priestess named Chen Jinggu, also known as "Lady by the Water," famed for her talent to exorcize demons. However, she later discovered that aiding in childbirth was even more challenging than battling demons, thus becoming the guardian deity of childbirth. Another legend portrays the Goddess of Childbirth as a collective spirit, a "conceptual deity" formed from the countless experiences of helping women give birth. In Taiwanese temples, she is often depicted holding a book of fertility in her left hand and a pen in her right, symbolizing the recording of significant childbirth events.
｜不用爭啦！ 生男生女都一樣累 No Matter the Gender, You’re Gonna Lose Some Sleep!
隨著時代變遷，註生娘娘的形象從催生、掌控胎兒性別的傳說，演變為保佑嬰兒平安的神明。想趁娘娘誕辰祈求兒女的信眾，如果有特別祈求任一性別，求男可準備白色百合、鳳梨、柳丁，代表招丁；求女則是紅色百合、鳳梨、水梨，代表招水。不過現代人大部分不再強求生兒或生女，只要孩子健康平安就好，所以鮮花顏色也可以準備半紅半白！
因為每個孩子的因緣不同，廟方通常建議孕婦應在順產且孩子滿月後才去向註生娘娘還願喔！
As times have changed, the story of the Goddess of Childbirth has evolved from tales of inducing childbirth and controlling the gender of fetuses to that of a protector ensuring the safety of infants and birth givers. If desiring a specific gender, worshippers should offer white lilies, pineapple, and tangerines for a boy, due to the same pronunciation of tangerine and “boy” as well as pineapple and “affluent”, or red lilies, pineapple, and Asian pears (water pear) due to the word water symbolizing “pretty girl”. These days, however, most believers only wish for a healthy and safe child, hence a mix of red and white flowers would be enough.
As each child bears their own destiny, temples advise pregnant women to thank the goddess for fulfilling their vows only after giving birth and when the child reaches one month old!
｜有拜有保庇！ 盼望懷孕的心情不分國界 Infertility Speaks the Same Language Everywhere
註生娘娘在台灣十分受歡迎，從北到南各縣市許多宮廟都可以找到祂，例如台北的龍山寺、雲林的北港朝天宮等知名廟宇的偏殿，而在高雄橋頭甚至能找到主祀註生娘娘的「註生宮」。註生娘娘的法力無邊，甚至在2012年，一對年近五十、來自美國的夫妻在婚後七年都沒有好消息，便特地趁旅行台灣期間到北港朝天宮祭拜註生娘娘，並用英文誠心祈求，最後也順利透過人工授孕懷上孩子，並在2014年平安產下了雙胞胎！
貼心小提醒﹔建議不孕夫妻除了參拜，仍需就醫做身體檢查並聽取醫師專業建議喔！
Goddess of Childbirth enjoys widespread popularity in Taiwan, where you can find her in temples across the island, from Longshan Temple in Taipei to Beigang Chaotian Temple in Yunlin, and even the “Zhusheng Temple” in Qiaotou, Kaohsiung, dedicated to her. Her influence even extends beyond local worshippers! In 2012, a middle-aged American couple with infertility visited the Beigang Chaotian Temple during their trip to Taiwan and prayed to the goddesses in English. With the help of IVF, they eventually became pregnant and gave birth to twins in 2014!
While seeking divine intervention, it's also essential for infertile couples to seek medical advice and undergo necessary examinations with healthcare professionals!
｜Profile of Goddess of Childbirth
又稱：註生媽、臨水夫人、陳靖姑 Also Known As: Mother of Fertility, Chen Jinggu, Lady by the Water
生日：農曆3月20日 Birthday: 20th day of the third month of the lunar calendar
隸屬宗教：道教 Patheon: Taoism
廟宇間數：至少上百間（多為主祀媽祖、觀音宮廟偏殿）Number of Temples: 100+ (mostly in side halls to Mazu or Guanyin Bodhisattva)
在台分布範圍：全台灣 Active Region: All of Taiwan
主祀宮廟：嘉義水月庵、台南臨水夫人廟、高雄註生宮、宜蘭南興廟 Main Temples: Shuiyue Monastery in Chiayi, Lady by the Water Temple in Tainan, Zhusheng Temple in Kaohsiung, Nanxing Temple in Yilan
業務範圍：懷孕、平安生產、求特定性別子女 Known for: infertility treatment, easy delivery, gender prediction
供品：紅龜粿、壽麵、壽桃、紅蛋、鮮花、水果 Preferred Offerings: Red Turtle Cake, Longevity Noodles, Longevity Peach, Red Eggs, fresh flowers, fruit
｜Vocabulary list
神祇 deity
生育 fertility
生產 childbirth
受孕 to conceive
被祭拜的 enshrined
不孕的 infertile
受尊重的 revered
道姑 Taoist priestess
除魔/驅邪 to exorcise
你也在雙語國家政策的趨勢下，希望讓年輕學子更認識家鄉，學習以英語介紹自己生活的地方嗎？
你也想設計出從外國旅客視角出發的英語導覽內容，提升志工或解說員的導覽技巧軟實力嗎？
培育你的學生或志工，向世界說自己的故事！
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