Standardization of Gods-Promotion of Queens in the Coast of South China
[America] Huachen
God not only means belief, it means a meaning system, but can also be regarded as a symbol and structure, and different groups of people can give it different meanings. The Queen of Heaven discussed in this article was originally just a small god believed in a corner, but gradually became an important god worshipped in many areas during the Ming and Qing Dynasties under the impetus of the court and scholar-officials since the Song Dynasty. There was even a phenomenon that the gods "eat up" the local gods as advocated by the court. Hua Chen called this process "standardization of the gods."
It embodies that the court has created a unified atmosphere and atmosphere while allowing different communities to express their differences. The conclusion is thus derived: the “genius” of traditional dynasties’ rural rule is that they try to promote symbolism/structure rather than belief/meaning.
Concern: In what ways did the concepts and symbols of the Chinese bureaucratic elite "permeate" the localities, and how do the villagers interpret these symbols?
Research: Determine how values and symbols are changed in the process of crossing social boundaries.
1. This article embodies an aspect of Chinese tradition that plays an important role in the process of cultural standardization—that is, the practice of "recognized" gods promoted by national authorities.
2. Local elites: literati who are interested in land and commerce. The state intervened in subtle ways, imposing a consistent thing on the worship at the regional and local levels. The local elites, in the process of standardization, embodied the cooperation with the national authorities by assisting in the construction of recognized temples.
3. Goddess Queen: Mazu, the protector of fishermen, taxation and maritime merchants. The country in the 12th century considered it necessary to regard her as a symbol of coastal stability. With the help of the empire, Mazu finally became the goddess of South China and Central Asia.
1. The origin of divine deification
1. In the late 10th century, the home of Lin, a seafarer from the coast of Meizhou, Putian County, Fujian Province-the soul guides the sailors to return home safely in the storm.
Records of mythical figures: the literate elite is the main body of preservation, and the simple villagers also keep records. Writing literature tends to blend various aspects of deepening from different channels. Literacy elites use the diva story to strengthen their position.
2. Taiwanese villagers: The goddess is the image of the poor fishermen's daughter who voluntarily hunger strikes to end their lives.
Tin Hau is a consciously created Taoist god with the purpose of "offsetting" the influence of the popular Buddhist god Guanyin.
2. State intervention: the creation of a "recognized" god
It can be seen that the inclusion of a Chinese god in the nationally recognized god tree is carried out in accordance with a fixed bureaucratic procedure: the
emperor's edict: indicates
the change of certain special functions and titles of this god to the country ; the lady of Ling Hui -> Ling Hui -> Heavenly Concubine -> The Mother of Heaven
is recognized by the court, the worship of the goddess is under the supervision of the Ministry of Ritual, which is responsible for ensuring that the goddess is treated in accordance with the rules of the "ceremony".
This state-sponsored system draws a line between unrecognized worship and state-sanctioned worship.
Next, consider whether the state guides or caters to the public in the process of promoting the beliefs of specific gods?
1. The confrontation between the official and unofficial Matsu temples in major cities in Taiwan reflects the different connotations that the Queen of Heaven represents to different people.
Government: Most officials born outside the island regard her as a symbol of imperial stability and "recognized" culture,
Taiwanese: as a manifestation of their own independence.
Tin Hau has also become the patron saint of several commercial clubs that have absorbed members from southern coastal cities.
2. It can be seen that the Queen of Heaven is a god with many connotations of Yi Mo, which means that she is a god of many kinds.
Maritime merchants, imperial officials: The queen can calm the chaos on the sea, and the sea is actually the last frontier; here government management and business are difficult to maintain for a long time;
maritime merchants, Ming Dynasty survivors, and smugglers also serve as protectors
3. Two local temples: economic and social background
This section examines two local temples:
Dongshan Temple-Wenshi-keep a distance from people on the water and do not intermarry each other, and are limited to doing business.
Shajiang Temple-Dengshi-in addition to processing fish and oysters, it also makes salt to
reflect their dependence on the ocean. Therefore, Tianhou is regarded as the protector of land development and the protector of commercial scope.
1. The
origin of Tianhou, a symbol of stability in the sea, can be traced back to the chaotic period of the Ming and Qing dynasties. An important turning point: Kangxi ascended the throne in 1662 and issued the order to move the sea in the southern coastal areas. Deprive people loyal to the Ming Dynasty of refuge among local residents.
Therefore, after the end of the migration, the settlers along the coast regard it as a symbol of social stability and tranquility.
2. The six important clans in Hong Kong chose Tin Hau as the guardian god not because she is related to the sea but because of another symbol of the queen: active and aggressive gods, aimed at people who disrupt order.
That is to say, the queen can not only calm the storm but also set off the storm, as the image of the defender of social stability.
3. Local elites are also aware that accepting recognized gods can bring certain benefits to their clan. Therefore, the chiefs of the Han clan regarded Tian Hou as a guardian god as a way to express their readiness to cooperate with the local authorities.
4. In addition, permanent tenants also played an important role in the worship of Tianhou, and their views on Tianhou were quite different from the views of members of the landlord clan.
4. The process of religious standardization
1. The standardization process of Xintian and Xiacun Tianhou: the promotion of status is through eating and digesting the early gods.
However, the early gods did not completely disappear, but were concentrated in a special shrine to watch the rituals during the ceremony.
2. The Queen of Heaven
, a symbol of family dominance. The Wen family, the Deng family-a symbol of regional gods and clan hegemony, not only govern the ocean but also govern the land
. Sacrifice ceremony: to appease the lonely
man who caused trouble to the world-Xingxiang parade: the purpose is to purify the cause The territories controlled by the clan demarcated the scope of the Queen of Heaven.
Other regional celebrations reflect the geographical exclusivity of the Queen's worship.
3. Local worship organizations: leadership and control.
Tianhou Temple managers: a few wealthy people, not full-time priests, and do not participate in decision-making.
Landlords and businessmen: form an elite class.
Donations: collected by the Self-Defense Forces or patrolmen. Low people.
4. Views on Tin Hau: A study of contradictory claims.
Rural residents of Hong Kong: Regard Tin Hau as a jealous girl who governs a specific area.
Other areas: A symbol of clan hegemony, and compulsory local
activities to promote temple worship help her To strengthen the feelings of social solidarity, regular celebrations are often regarded as concrete manifestations of collective values.
On the other hand, the collective consciousness held in important temples helps position political alliances.
Everyone in worship has the same collective value, but people of different categories or classes have different expressions of the queen.
5. The court authorities: promote the belief in the Queen of Heaven, because she represents the culture of civilization and recognition at the
local level, the landlord merchant class-the consideration of the interests of their own clan; for example, for the ordinary semi-illiterate members of the landlord clan, the queen is a symbol of geographical control.
Scholars: express their original intention to join the mainstream of Chinese culture.
Villagers in micro-villages: Don’t use Tianhou as a symbol of geographical control, because it means their oppressed status, but will reinterpret it by themselves, concealing the fact that they are insignificant in worship.
Maritime merchants: calm the seas and territories and suppress pirates.
Pirates: Maritime merchant mistress and storm calmer, the protector of pirates.
V. Conclusion
Literacy elites have played an important role in the process of cultural standardization, ensuring that religious beliefs conform to the pattern of workers across the country. The question is whether it guides or caters to the mass
state: it guides the masses and responds to the pressure of the masses; it promotes the beliefs of gods and incorporates them.
Imperial officials: No power, no resources, no power to impose an influential god on the public.
The state advocates symbols rather than beliefs. The problem is that the state authorities are unwilling to regulate beliefs. The state will not intervene as long as it observes proper etiquette.