A Research On Seven Fairies Faith In Dongyang, Zhejiang

Seven Fairies faith has been prevailing in Dongyang,Zhejiang and undergoing constant changes. This essay by focusing on the prevailing July7th white fairy custom and taking use of literature analysis and field investigation studied the faith objects of Seven Fairies faith and ritual activities,etc as well as analyzed the cultural structure and social function after Seven Fairies faith mingled with people’s life. What’s more, certain discussions have been carried out on the adjustment Seven Fairies faith under the modern background.This essay can be divided into the following six parts seen from its structures.The first part is introduction which narrates the reasons for choosing this topic as well as significance and content. What’s more, simple analysis of folk beliefs research and the academic research results of Chinese culture has been given and mainly adopted research methods.The second part makes general introduction of the overall situation of Seven Fairies faith. First, brief introduction of Seven Fairies faith’s field community has been given. Then, the author has collected the Seven Fairies legends prevailing in local Dongyang. Last,the author analyzed faith tradition cultural space and the followers of belief.The third part describes ritual activities of Seven Fairies faith. The author carefully draw the outline of the structure system of Seven Fairies faith by specific expressions of chanting,daily religion activities,and Dongbai Mount seven fairies worship activities in July seventh.The fourth part gives us an interpretation of Seven Fairies Faith’s cultural connotation. Starting mainly from the three aspects, this part first analyzed that Seven Fairies have the characteristics of both sacred and secular. Then, the legacy of the worship of the big dipper in faith was explained. At last, a belief in Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism culture was analyzed.The fifth part narrates the huge impact brought about by Seven Fairies Faith on local people’s material life and spiritual life. This part analyzed Seven Fairies Faith’s social function from the following four aspects as social integration, moralization, spiritual consolation as well as economic development.The sixth part discovers the adjustment of Seven Fairies Faith under contemporary context by analyzing the newly emerged changes of Seven Fairies Faith during recent years, which mainly focus on two aspects. The first aspect is sian-koo hall that has been gradually into the Taoism system, another aspect is that Chinese valentine’s day element has been added into traditional rituals of July seventh.The last part is conclusion part which summarized and sublimated the whole text.