The Quanzhou Area Poseidon Faith In The Song And Yuan Dynasties Changes,

In the Song and Yuan Dynasties (10-14th centuries) Quan Zhou grow rapidly into one of the world's biggest sea ports as the "Maritime Silk Road" emerged and thrived. While the development of foreign trade gradually strengthened the link between man and the ocean, the belief in Sea Gods (Tong Yuan King and Mazu) came into being and was increasingly popular in this area. The publicity of Tong Yuan King (the first male Sea God in Quan Zhou) climbed to its peak in Southern Song Dynasty and died down in the early stage of Yuan Dynasty, during which Mazu rose to fame among every household. Owing to its glow of fraternity the belief of Mazu had a universal impact, whose historical inevitability is evident, the thesis aims at the exploration of vicissitude of Sea Gods believes in Quan Zhou during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. By probing into the process of replacement, which is labeled as"Mazu Fading in, Tong Yuan King Fading out", the thesis is intended to discuss the relationship between the belief of Sea Gods and local social and cultural structures. To understand the belief of Sea Gods, folk faith and official religious policies better, knowing exactly the vicissitude of Tong Yuan King and Mazu is of practical significance.Major contents of the thesis are as following: The first chapter deals with a survey of foreign trades and religious believes in Quan Zhou during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The second chapter focuses on the transmission of the belief of Sea Gods in Quan Zhou during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The third chapter concentrates on the reasons of Mazu's replacement of Tong Yuan King. The fourth chapter expounds the impacts brought about by the vicissitude of believes in Mazu and Tong Yuan King.