A Study On The History Of The Folk’ Rituals Of Yugur From A Sociological Perspective

Offering Oboo ritual is the most important religious rite in the social life of Yugur herdsmen. It is the epitome of Yugurs ancient culture. It not only has extremely rich cultural connotations, but also becomes an important part in Yugurs’ life. In the process of Yugur social change, offering Oboo ritual like other ethnic folk rituals experiences the evolution:"continued-fracture-renaissance-change".This study follows the perspective of ritual and social change in order to examine the function of ritual and change in the background of Yugurs’ change with offering Oboo ritual. From the vicissitude of Offering Oboo ritual, it analyzes its function of converting. Analysis local social meaning of life from the changes of Offering Oboo ritual.First of all, the study expounds the changes of offering Oboo ritual since1980s, secondly, to explore the social functions of ritual, and studies its function changes in the ritual transition; from the vicissitude of Offering Oboo ritual, it analyzes its function of converting; Finally, to analysis the changes of agent in the Offering Oboo ritual.Based on the above idea, this study discusses the ritual changes since the renaissance and its function’s transition. The changes after the revival of Oboo ritual are mainly in the following six aspects:the changes of Oboo constructed; the changes of the ceremonies; the changes of the ritual participants; the changes of language and clothing in the ritual; from the folk belief to national culture and the changes from religious activities to ethnic festivals. The changes of the ritual function mainly for six aspects:change the way of economic functions; from the divine to entertaining; the change of cultural function; the shift towards integration of social relationships;the shift towards integration of community structure;and the shift towards integration of ethnic relations. The study shows that social change is the precondition of offering Oboo ritual’s transition and ritual vicissitude is a response of Yugur people to the social change. What’s more, ritual culture changes in the modern power and the autonomy of people’s adapt and choice determine the direction of the ritual transition.