Under the Southern Sung, the southeast coast of China became the main point for interaction with the outside world. The construction of the northsouth Grand Canal under the Yuan dynasty included holding prayer ceremonies at Matsu temples along the way, so that Matsu spread from the south to northern China and Shantung.
南宋偏安，東南沿岸成為對外主要道路，元朝大築運河南糧北運，在沿途天妃宮舉行祭典，媽祖於是由南北行，到了華北、山東。