Based on the information obtained from personal observations, records and interviews, discuss why the villagers still insist on holding this kind of activity even though they spend so much manpower, material and financial resources?

China is a big agricultural country. Every year during the lunar solar terms, villagers will have a series of methods and rituals to celebrate.

During every festive season, people will put down their work. At the same time, due to the superstitious mentality of praying for gods, various festivals are often combined with worshiping gods.

These magical activities can not only smooth out the monotonous farming life, but also have the purpose of praying for peace and honoring the gods. Therefore, the magical activities with sacrificial meaning are highly valued by the people.

Through surveys and interviews with villagers in Qianqian Village, we can learn that the villagers attach great importance to the annual magical activities. They raise a large amount of money every year (such as the "Ten Thousand Yuan" donation book posted on the wall opposite the stage) to support and hold magical activities.

, especially the program of magical drama.

They believe that the magical activities to reward the gods can influence the gods, express the villagers' gratitude to the gods for blessing the whole village with good weather and good fortune, and hope that the next year will have a better harvest and a better life.

Since the village society has not yet developed to a certain stage, the villagers always rely on the gods to pray for good health, good weather, and protection from natural disasters in the coming year.

According to villagers, every year after the magical activity, the weather when King Fu was sent back was very clear and cloudless.

The magical activities not only express the gratitude of the villagers of Qianqian Village to the gods, but also express the essence of the villagers' thoughts of "happy with the gods".

When performing magic drama, there is a process of welcoming the gods and sending them off, expressing the villagers' respect and admiration for the land god who protects the whole village.

In addition, as a part of traditional Chinese culture, the ability of magical activities to continue to this day depends on the beliefs and conservative thinking attitudes of villagers in remote areas.

It expresses the kind-hearted and hard-working villagers of Qianqian Village's yearning for a better life in the future and their lofty ideals of a prosperous career, continuous financial resources, happy children and grandchildren, social progress, and world peace.

Finally, Shengong Opera, as the essence of Chinese culture, also helps the villagers of Qianqian Village adjust their lives, enrich their thoughts and historical knowledge, improve their spiritual civilization, promote the civilization process of the villagers and the spiritual, cultural and moral construction of Qianqian Village, and contribute to all aspects of physical and mental aspects.

development and improvement.

2.

In addition to the significance of sacrificial rituals, what role do magical activities play in a community or community?

Looking at the games to welcome the gods, the repayment of wishes to the gods and the opera performances, it mainly includes two aspects. One is to pray for the safety of the population, and the other is to pray for a prosperous life.

The annual magical activities not only serve to offer sacrifices to gods and pray for prosperous business and wealth in the coming year, but also play an important role in socializing and communicating with villagers within the community.

For example, according to villagers’ reports, many villagers who have immigrated abroad still rush back to their hometowns to participate in the annual magical activities held on the birthday of Lord Fortune in Qianqian Village.

This shows that magical activities have become the bond that maintains the feelings of villagers in the community, strengthened national unity and community cohesion, made the Qianqian Village community more harmonious, and achieved the purpose of "harmony and wealth".

With the development of society, young people and middle-aged and elderly audiences can experience magical activities at the same time, allowing villagers of different age groups to increase communication and promote internal unity and harmony.

During each magical activity, the villagers bring the old and support the young, respecting the old and loving the young. It can be said that "the old and the young call each other", and they are both elegant and popular, attracting the largest audience. The large number of people and the spectacular scene play the role of "family harmony".

The positive effect of "Everything is prosperous".

Finally, it should be pointed out that magical activities contain profound ideological and moral concepts and values.

Such as the remnants of the feudal thought of male superiority and inferiority of women, the thought of the Three Cardinal Guidelines and the Five Constant Virtues, and the thought of arranged marriages as the master of the family.

These will be replaced as society continues to develop and progress.

These ideas are the ideological constraints and moral constraints of the villagers in Qianqian Village.

In other words, as a residual product of feudal society, magical activities still maintain the old morality and order. These are factors that constrain the ideological liberation of villagers.

3.

What function does the magic play play within?

The rural magical drama not only "entertains gods" but also "entertains people", serves the purpose of "entertaining people and gods", and "advocates in the name of warding off disasters and praying for blessings."

The performance of the magical opera and the location of the temple have profound Feng Shui symbols. The magical opera in Qianqian Village is held on a stage next to the temple. In addition to believing in the power of the gods, the audience also understands that the magical opera is a sacrifice to the gods.

In addition, another "supernatural" experience has been added.

For example, before setting up a stage to perform a magical performance, there must be a series of magical rituals such as lighting incense in the temple and setting off firecrackers to welcome the gods.

When setting up a stage, you need to choose Feng Shui to show respect to the God of Play. When setting up a stage, you need medicine and the stage, and when you burn incense, you can inform the God of Play.

Before the opera begins, the host must address the opera god, and there are taboo words for artists.

During the magical opera, the whole village avoids unlucky words to prevent the opera god from falling out. According to villagers, if the gods are not worshiped before the magical opera starts, the stage will suddenly catch fire and burn down.

The troupe will also break up.

The common people are in awe of this mysterious drama god.

Through investigation, it can be found that most of the main magic opera repertoire of Cantonese opera ends in comedy.