媽祖姓林閨諱默娘，福建省興化府蒲田縣湄州嶼人，祖先代代為官，父諱愿，官都巡檢，母王氏，夫妻慈祥樂善，為一對虔誠之佛教徒，育有一男，五女，因長子體弱，日夜祈禱神佛庇佑再生一子，某夜母夢觀音菩薩賜一藥丸吞服後，即有孕，乃於宋太祖建隆元年〈西年九六零年〉歲次庚申年三月二十二日，這位被世人敬仰之媽祖誕生了，誕生時紅光繞室，異香氤氳。至彌月未聞哭聲，故曰默娘。

Ma-Tsu, surnamed Lin with the courtesy name Moniang, was a native of Meizhou Island, Putian County, Xinghua Prefecture, Fujian Province. Her ancestors had been officials for generations. Her father's name was Yuan, who served as a patrol inspector, and her mother's surname was Wang. The couple were devout Buddhists and had one son and five daughters. Worried about their sickly eldest son, they prayed fervently to the deities and Buddhas for another son. One night, the mother dreamed that Guanyin Bodhisattva gave her a medicinal pill to swallow, and she soon became pregnant. Ma-Tsu was born in the 22nd day of the 3rd month of the Gēng-Shēn year during the Baoning era of the Song Taizu (960 AD). At her birth, the room was filled with red light and a fragrant aroma, and she did not cry at all, hence the name Moniang (Silent Girl).

幼時聰慧，讀書過目成誦，能悟奧義，十歲與母焚香誦經禮佛，十三歲玄通禪師授予玄微秘法，得悟諸要，十六歲窺井得符，參透禪機，通曉妙用，此後以佛法驅邪除惡，治病救人，並能呼風喚雨，救護海難船隻，祈雨濟民，屢顯神異，尊稱為『通寶靈女』。

From a young age, Ma-Tsu was intelligent and could memorize books after a single reading, comprehending the profound meanings. At age 10, she burned incense, recited sutras, and worshiped the Buddha with her mother. At 13, the Zen master Xuantongi imparted to her the esoteric Xuanwei teachings, which she fully grasped. At 16, she peered into a well and obtained a talisman, penetrating the essence of Zen. Thereafter, she used Buddhist teachings to exorcize evil spirits, heal the sick, summon wind and rain, and rescue ships in distress at sea, displaying extraordinary divine powers and earning the title "Divinely Endowed Spiritual Maiden".

宋太宗雍熙四年〈西元九八七年〉歲次丁亥年九月九日重陽節，向家人辭別，登上湄山，竟脫凡入聖，成道為神，昇天後常顯靈救世濟人，故奉為聖神，事聞於朝廷，乃歷代均有褒封，清康熙加封為『天上聖母』。乾隆時旨勒列入祀典。

On the Double Ninth Festival of the Ding-hai year in the 4th year of the Yongxi era of Song Taizong (987 AD), she bade farewell to her family and ascended Mount Mei, transcending the mortal realm and becoming a deity. After her ascension, she continued to manifest her divine powers to save the world, so she was revered as a holy deity. The imperial court bestowed honors upon her through successive dynasties, and during the Qing Kangxi era, she was granted the title "Heavenly Empress Mother". The imperial edict of the Qianlong Emperor ordered that worshiping Heavenly Empress Mother be included in the sacrificial rites.

廟史 About Ma-Tsu Temple

本廟創立於西元一九八六年，係旅美華僑高可達，字益昇，台灣北港鎮人，和蟾功健身專家邢人友共同發起。其宗旨為奉迎 媽祖香火流傳美洲，提供僑胞精神的寄託與慰藉，及弘揚 媽祖濟世仁民之懿德，推展蟾功治病救人義舉。

The temple was established in 1986 by overseas Chinese in the United States, Kauda Gau, also known as Yih-Sheng, a native of Beigang Town, Taiwan, andv Ren-you Xing, an expert in Chan Gong (蟾功) and health. Its purpose is to enshrine Ma-Tsu's divine presence in the Americas, provide spiritual solace and comfort to overseas Chinese, promote Ma-Tsu's virtues of saving the world and helping the people, and advance the charitable work of Chan Gong (蟾功) healing.

西元一九八六年三月在台灣祖廟-北港朝天宮辦妥媽祖分靈手續，同時奉請分靈媽祖移駕舊金山。八月十九日加州政府奉准設廟，訂名〝美國媽祖廟〞(MA-TSU TEMPLE OF USA)。為紀念媽祖由北港朝天宮分靈，乃經祖廟賜名又稱〝舊金山朝聖宮〞(SAN FRANCISCO CHAO SHENG KUAG)。

In March 1986, the temple obtained a divine spirit division from the ancestral temple - Beigang Chao-Tian Temple in Taiwan, and invited the divided Ma-Tsu to be enshrined in San Francisco. On August 19, the California government approved the establishment of the temple, naming it "Ma-Tsu Temple of USA". To commemorate the division of Ma-Tsu from Beigang Chao-Tian Palace, it was also named "San Francisco Chao Sheng Kuag".

九月十三日〈歲次丙寅年八月初十日〉在三藩市維也納街〈VIENNA ST．〉五五四號，隆重開幕。十月十二日成立媽祖會員會，同時成立第一屆董事會，推選創辦人高可達為董事長。並制訂本廟組織章程。十一月廿二日遷移舊金山中國城都板街〈GRANT AVE．〉五六二號二樓。西元一九八七年五月三十日本廟遷上同地址三樓。西元一九八八年七月十日首次前往台灣祖廟，北港朝天官謁祖進香，十二月十一日成立金聖福爐會。

On September 13 (the 10th day of the 8th month in the lunar year of Bing-yin), the temple was grandly opened at 554 Vienna Street in San Francisco. On October 12, the Ma-Tsu Association and the first Board of Directors were established, with the founder Kauda Gau elected as the chairman. The temple's organizational charter was also formulated. On November 22, the temple was moved to the second floor at 562 Grant Avenue in San Francisco Chinatown.

On May 30, 1987, the temple was moved to the third floor of the same address. On July 10, 1988, the temple made its first pilgrimage to the ancestral temple, Beigang Chao-Tian Temple in Taiwan. On December 11, the Jin-sheng-fu Stove Association was established.

西元一九九零年四月十五日設立『籌劃建廟基金』銀行專用帳戶。西元一九九二年首次舉辦媽祖繞境，參加三藩市中國新年大巡遊。七月十九日借用天道美國總壇房產，成立日落區分廟。洛杉磯朝天宮奉祀北港朝天宮分靈媽祖移駕本廟。並恭奉在日落區分廟。西元一九九四年十月十三日由祖廟分靈太子爺及虎爺奉祀在本廟。西元一九九六年一月十二日新購三層樓房一棟，地址在三藩市中國城白話轉街〈BECKETT ST．〉三十號，十月二日新廈防震加固修建工程開工，十月廿七日喬遷新廈。2002年11月17日新廈落成，即今本廟之沿革。

On April 15, 1990, a special bank account was set up for the "Temple Construction Fund". In 1992, the temple held its first Ma-Tsu Pilgrimage and participated in the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade. On July 19, the temple borrowed the property of the Tiandao USA Headquarters to establish a branch temple in the Sunset District. The divine spirit Ma-Tsu division of Beigang Chao-Tian Temple from Los Angeles was also enshrined in this branch temple.

On October 13, 1994, the temple obtained the divine spirits of the Prince and the Tiger God from the ancestral temple. On January 12, 1996, the temple purchased a three-story building at 30 Beckett Street in San Francisco Chinatown. On October 2, the earthquake reinforcement and renovation project of the new building began, and on October 27, the temple was moved to the new building. On November 17, 2002, the new building was completed, which is the current temple.