Study On Localization Of MaXian Legends

This thesis takes FuJian and ZheJiang MaXian legends as the main study object, placing it into historical and humanistic social background of such areas.Combined with historical document and field work of anthropology, this paper mainly discusses the localizational phenomenon in the faith.MaXian originated during Tang and Song Dynasties, further developed during Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, and finally formed three religious center--Southern Zhejiang, Eastern Fujian and Central Fujian. MaXian faith, historically combined with natural geography, historical humane environment and religious culture of the above three areas, formed distinctive legendary tales, which are results of its adapting local social culture and also vivid embodiments of its localization.Discussions on localization of MaXian legends can promote our understanding of the evolution of MaXian faith through different regions, different stages, and then help us grasp the connotation and extension of the faith. Meanwhile, localizational phenomenons of folk religion have general significance. Such an individual case study on localization of MaXian legends definitely will be of crucial inspiration not just to investigations about the relationship between internal propagation mechanism and pathways of folk belief,but also to the connection between folk religion and regional culture.