Meizhou is a small island off the coast of Fujian Province in China. It forms Meizhou Town (湄洲镇), an administrative unit of Xiuyu District within the city of Putian. The island lies close to the mainland coast and is home to roughly 38,000 inhabitants, most of whom work in the fishing industry. The local language spoken there is Pu-Xian Min.
Meizhou is best known as the birthplace of the goddess Mazu, the sea deity widely venerated in coastal southern China and among overseas Chinese communities. This association makes the island a site of religious significance and pilgrimage.
Beyond its connection to Mazu, Meizhou's character is shaped by its fishing economy and its position as a small, densely populated island community within the Putian administrative area. The island is also referred to in some sources as Meichow or Meichou.