Customs, each with its own characteristics, are different and interrelated; It is also similar to some activities such as "Mazu around the border" in Putian, Minnan, Taiwan Province Province and "You Dalong" in Longyan Gutian. This article will describe the custom activities of visiting gods in Yan Qi, Lianjiang County, Fuzhou.
Worship to God is a folk activity held in Lianjiang village in the first month, which has a strong Taoist color. Around the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, it is a time to wander around and become one of the important activities of "New Year" (Spring Festival) in rural areas.
In Yanqi village, wandering gods take "society" as the unit, carrying the gods of five emperors in big sedan chairs, and bamboo "bones" gods under the gods, such as Tong brothers, impermanence and generals. , held by people, marched around the village in the sound of gongs and firecrackers. The scene is very warm. At that time, the villagers will carry the Five Emperors to villages with bamboo "bones" and perform a series of symbolic ceremonies called "chasing the epidemic along the door" in folklore. More people will take this ceremony to make a wish and pray for the gods to help them realize their dreams. The ceremony will last from night to late at night.
Before the wandering gods began, every family in the village would set up offerings in the ancestral hall, light red lanterns and make offerings to welcome the wandering gods. At that time, women will "pick up incense" where the wandering gods pass. The so-called "receiving incense" means that someone holds a censer for people to burn incense in front of every idol and five emperors; And set off firecrackers and fireworks to greet them.
The leader of the wandering soul team is the eldest son of the Yan family in the village, carrying a big glass lantern and walking at the front of the team; At the end of the procession are people carrying the five emperors. On the sedan chair, there is a lantern written by the sedan chair man, which reads "a hundred children and a thousand grandchildren". In front of them are traditional gongs and drums, followed by gongs and drums. In the middle are Tong brothers (also called fat brothers and fat sisters), black and white impermanence (one is tall and one is short), four generals, a teacher and a scholar; They are followed by different "sticks" with lanterns, some dressed as "eight immortals", "eight generals" and "seven fairies"; It is worth mentioning that the combination of wandering souls and lanterns is the most distinctive part of Yanqi Lantern Festival.
Because baby brother and black impermanence are short people, they are lively and lovely all the time. Giving New Year greetings to every family, the younger brother is the main role. Some big names, such as the four generals, are more serious and steady. One of the main manifestations is that the walking pace is specified as "general step" (you can watch PPT homework video). The gods lined up and patrolled its "territory" with unchanging expressions, blessing its villagers. From the front end to the tail end of the wandering souls team, it is 108 thousand miles apart, and the lights of the wandering light team are bright, so you can't see the tail at close range; From a distance, it looks like a long dragon entrenched in the countryside, which is very spectacular.
Yan Qi's wandering souls are divided into two nights, the 12th and 13th of the first month. Twelve days around the border and thirteen days around the temple. The tour is mainly in Yanqi native land, following the original planned route, starting from Wuxian Emperor Palace (Yanqi Auditorium) and ending at Yanshi Ancestral Hall. Surrounding the temple means that the five emperors returned to the place where they were born-Yanqi Hushan Temple, that is, the earliest five emperors were enshrined in Hushan Temple, and were later welcomed back by the villagers and enshrined in the village.
According to family members, at that time, our village and the village next door competed for the right to worship the five emperors. Later, with our wit and strategy, we welcomed the emperors back to the village, which fully reflected our belief in the emperors. Moreover, going around the temple fully embodies the traditional cultural consciousness of our fellow villagers, which has deeply influenced generation after generation.
With the development of rural society, the spirit of vagrancy has also undergone great changes. I remember when I was a child, I went wandering. I brought my own lantern, made of paper, with candles in it. If it is windy and rainy, the candles will go out, which will bring a lot of trouble to the wandering souls team; The fairy's clothes are also shabby, and the emperor's main seat is made of wood, and the workmanship is relatively rough. Later, lanterns developed into glass, the clothes of the gods were updated, and the emperor's main seat was transformed accordingly.
In recent years, the team of wandering gods can be described as high-end and high-grade The wandering gods have been replaced by lighting production. People who wander are wearing uniform and customized hats and clothes, and the clothes on the mind have made a qualitative leap. The emperor's main sedan chair also became a big sedan chair decorated with aluminum alloy glass and neon lights. However, it seems that there are not as many people wandering around as before, which is a pity; Thankfully, there are still many people who will come back to participate during their wanderings.
Times have changed and society has developed, but the essence of vagrancy has not changed, and its wishes and meanings have not changed; This requires our descendants to deeply understand the cultural atmosphere while inheriting and developing the folk heritage. Personally, the cultural atmosphere contained in this "wandering god" custom activity mainly includes the following points:
First of all, "wandering the gods" is a traditional folk activity during the Lantern Festival in Fuzhou and an important part of Fuzhou folk culture. At the same time, it also reflects the differences of regional culture and the uniqueness of Fuzhou culture to a certain extent.
Secondly, the activity of "wandering the gods" greatly increased the atmosphere of the festival and enriched people's entertainment activities; This also makes the activity of "wandering the gods", as a kind of cultural and folk activity, transcend its own existence, highlight its certain entertainment and enrich people's spiritual world.
"fugue" once again deeply entrusted people's wishes and expectations:
(1) A New Year's wish to pray for the country's prosperity, people's safety, good weather, evil spirits and rolling financial resources.
(2) The clan's expectation is that the ancestors will return to their ancestral homes, the population will be prosperous, the society will be peaceful and the villages will be harmonious.
(3) It has the centripetal force to strengthen clan cohesion and promote people to get together.
Thirdly, it has a substantial role in promoting social and economic development, mainly reflected in consumer demand; During the "Wandering God" period, people spent countless money to buy fireworks, firecrackers and tributes. People drink to celebrate, arrange banquets and other table consumption is also quite huge; As well as some foreign guests and friends, they will come here to witness the "wandering gods" in person, which also increases the tourism income of the village.
Note: The wandering soul culture with Fujian and Taiwan characteristics is most prosperous in Changle City, Fuzhou City and Taiwan Province Province of Fujian Province. Among them, due to some historical events in mainland China, only Taiwan Province Province has done the best in the development of the folk culture of wandering gods, and even spread the folk culture of wandering gods to the whole world. Idol contests are held every year, and even festivals such as National Day are attended by wandering gods. Temple fairs in Taiwan Province Province are very prosperous. Every year, large and small temples have different scales of blessing activities, such as walking around the border, burning incense and cutting incense. The area around the temple fair often presents the worship circle or belief circle of the temple fair, while the Fenling Temple returns to the ancestral temple or the Zhuang temple to make pilgrimages to the crowd temple, which represents the interactive relationship between different temple fairs.
In the temple fair activities, besides the sacred sedan chairs of various temples, there will be messengers, Taoist temples, ceremonial ceremonies, art galleries, lanterns, umbrellas and array heads, which often stretch for several kilometers. In addition to professional performance groups, there are a considerable number of art exhibition halls and combat heads organized by local people. At present, there are also experienced artists from all fronts to teach traditional folk customs in junior high schools, primary schools, universities or communities, such as Song Jiangzhen, Twelve Old Ladies, Niu Lizhen, official generals and eight generals.
In South Taiwan Province Province, the belief in the monarch prevails, and temple fairs are often held in combination with the ceremony of the king's boat, such as the famous ceremony of welcoming five spices to the south, the ceremony of welcoming Wang Pingan to Donggang, and the incense for the birthday of the monarch in Nanxun Tianfu. In the central part of Taiwan Province Province, Mazu in Dajia is the most famous pilgrimage site, while Beitaiwan is the most famous temple fair of the founder's birthday of the Three Gorges, the birthday of Qingshan King in Mangga Castle Peak Palace, the temple in Xiahai City of Oshima City and the security palace in Dalongdong. Wandering around Zhonghua Street in Yokohama, Japan
Mazu Festival
After the ceremony in Mazu Tempel, Mazu Miracle Parade with traditional characteristics and momentum was held in Zhonghua Street block of Yokohama. A large number of overseas Chinese from the local overseas Chinese community came to participate in this sacrificial activity. Shops in Zhonghua Street, mainly catering enterprises, have placed offerings such as incense sticks, melons and fruits dedicated to Mazu along the street. Many devout Mazu believers also lined up in the street, kneeling to meet Mazu's miracle and praying for peace and happiness.
In 2007, the first Mazu Festival in Zhonghua Street in Yokohama attracted many believers from the main island of Taiwan Province, where Mazu incense flourished. The ceremonial characteristics of the General Protector and the traditional temple fair music and dance "Dance Drum Array" they brought became the most brilliant content in the parade.
The "Mazu Festival" with the traditional folk characteristics of China has also attracted countless Japanese citizens to join in the fun. Although Mazu belief is a little strange to them, people are also infected and cheer for the parade after reading the brief introduction distributed on the street and the grand occasion of the scene.
Just completed in March 2006, the Mazu Tempel in Yokohama, like the Guandi Temple in Zhonghua Street in Yokohama, which has a history of 100 years, has become a powerful bond to maintain the family ties of local Chinese. Coupled with the increasing number of Japanese citizens and tourists from all over the world, incense is booming. This year's New Year countdown activities of overseas Chinese in Yokohama, as well as the traditional "Lantern Festival" activities, have arranged the main venue in Mazu Tempel.
Emperor Guan's sacrifice
This is a Guandi Temple with a long history, which was established by China people who worked hard in Japan. Xie Chengfa, executive director and leader of the activity group of Guandi Temple in Zhonghua Street, Yokohama, immediately expressed his willingness to participate in this "East Asian Cultural Capital" New Year's bell ringing blessing activity.
According to relevant persons of Guandi Temple in Zhonghua Street, when Yokohama opened in 1859, Zhonghua Street in Yokohama was formed. At that time, many China businessmen and craftsmen came to Yokohama and started their lives in foreign countries in foreigners' residences. Overseas Chinese who worked hard in Yokohama in the early days and gathered in Chinatown had a great influence on the economic and cultural formation of Chinatown.
1862, a China man held a wooden statue of Guan Yu and set up a small ancestral temple at the present site of Guandi Temple in Zhonghua Street, Yokohama, which was the beginning of Guandi Temple in Zhonghua Street.
187 1 year, overseas Chinese in yokohama donated money and Guandi temple was formally established. Many gods are enshrined in the Guandi Temple in Yokohama, including the Lord God Guandi Sheng Jun, Jade Emperor, Mother Earth, Guanyin Bodhisattva and Fude Shen Zheng.
Overseas Chinese have left their homes and their lives are uneasy, so Guandi Temple has become their spiritual pillar to pray for a safe life and a prosperous career.
Zhonghua Street has become an important part of Yokohama's prosperity, and Guandi Temple has witnessed the difficult course experienced by overseas Chinese in Yokohama since the end of the shogunate.
The Guandi Temple in Zhonghua Street in Yokohama has undergone many changes, and was restored in 1886, and completely renovated in 189 1 year. Guandi Temple is decorated with glazed tiles, which are beautifully carved. Guan Yu's body was specially transported from Hong Kong. Since then, Guandi Temple in Zhonghua Street in Yokohama has held Guandi Temple commemoration and Guandi birthday activities every year.
Guandi's birthday is the most prosperous in Guandi's sacrifice. On June 5th 1876, Yokohama Daily News reported the activities of Guandi Temple the day before (June 4th and May 13th of the lunar calendar), such as decorating the eight-character lanterns of Emperor Gaozu and playing lanterns.
"The Prosperous Age of Yokohama" (1903) also describes that "gongs and drums are loud and lively", which shows the extraordinary scene of Guan Di's sacrifice. The official birthday is also listed as one of the traditional festivals in Yokohama, and it is listed in the business guide for visiting Shesi in the official school yard (19 13).
19 1 1 In April, Guandi Temple in Zhonghua Street held a grand celebration of the 50th anniversary of the construction of Guandi Temple in Yokohama.
2011On July 26th, Zhonghua Street in Yokohama celebrated the 50th anniversary of the completion of Guandi Temple/kloc-0, and staged a grand costume parade.
Johor Buddhist Temple, Johor, Malaysia
The ancient temple of Johor mainly worships five gods, namely:
Tian Xuan God (Master) (the first god to worship in an ancient temple, in charge of Chaozhou School)
Emperor Hong Xian (Hong) (left, in charge of Fujian Gang)
Tiandi (right, in charge of Hakka)
Emperor Huaguang (on both sides of the Lord God, in charge of the Guangdong and Guangxi Gang)
Marshal Zhao (on both sides of the Lord God, in charge of Hainan Sect)
In addition, there are four other plaques, namely "Fujian Disciples" (1873), "Zhao Guang Mansion" (1873), "Hakka Trust" (1874) and "Qiongzhou Mansion" (1882 The temple is still dedicated to Goddess Guanyin, the sage of wind and rain, the master of quick report, the imperial edict and the main card of heroes and heroes.
Every year, on the 20th day of the first lunar month, the gods will patrol and worship God for three consecutive days, which is a grand event held in Johor Bahru every year. Johor Ancient Temple is a temple worshipped by five groups of Chinese in Johor Bahru. It is the core organization of the early Chinese community in Johor Bahru. Just like the later CCBA and the present All-China Federation, it is the highest leading body of Chinese compatriots in Johor Bahru.
1922, after the establishment of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office in Johor, the ancient temple was under its jurisdiction. After World War II, the Chinese Association was established and affiliated to the Chinese Association. Starting from 1945, the "Johor Ancient Temple Management Committee" was established to take charge of the ancient temple affairs.
In view of the historical value of Johor Bahru, China Johor Bahru Association should be well preserved as a textual research for future historians to explore and build the history of Johor Bahru in China. Therefore, the restoration of the ancient temple was started at 198 1, but it was not officially started until 1990, and the groundbreaking ceremony for the restoration of the ancient temple was held at16 August 1994.
The restoration project was completed at the end of February, 1995, lasting 18 months and costing1500,000 yuan. Now, this ancient temple is completely new and stands in the center of the new mountain. On 1996120 October (the ninth day of the ninth lunar month), a celebration was held to celebrate the return of the gods to the temple.
Worship God in Chinatown, Feicheng, USA
The Folk Culture Festival held by the Monkey Island Folk Culture Center in Philadelphia, USA, is one of the annual grand events in Philadelphia Chinatown. This cultural festival is a traditional blessing ceremony after the Spring Festival in Fujian, aiming at commemorating and protecting the ancestor General Zhang, and at the same time promoting Chinese traditional folk culture and enhancing Chinese influence.
Led by Zhang Wenqin, Chairman of the Monkey Island Folk Culture Center, and Zhang Ziai, the mighty procession started from the cultural center where Kato Street is located on 13 Street, turned south on 10 Street, and finally came to the Chinatown brand building on Arch Street.
The parade gathered residents of Monkey Island in Philadelphia, new york and Washington, D.C. Members held flower baskets and banners, some dressed as generals, and some carried sedan chairs with statues and statues; Folk bands and lion dance teams are dancing to show the traditional folk customs of China; Western wind band combines Chinese and western music, plays Chinese folk music, and a parade of nearly 1,000 people, under the escort of Chinatown police station, marched to the main sacrificial area in front of the giant stage.
There are more than 30 incense stands in the main sacrificial area, where three kinds of animals and fruits are placed. People burn incense in front of the incense table and pray for good weather in the countryside, peace and stability in Chinatown, happiness of the people and good health of their families. ...