From God To Immortal: Formation Of Immortal Faith In The Pre-qin Period Factor Research

The concept of immortality originated in the pre-Qin period is the result of the confluence of various ideological factors.In the Warring States period,the practice of the belief in immortals showed the formal formation of the belief in immortals.The key point of this paper is to study the formation of the belief in immortals in the pre-Qin period,the belief of immortals as a kind of belief,when we study the formation of belief,we must make clear the elements of belief.In this framework,the study on the formation of the belief in immortals can be carried out.Therefore,at the beginning of this paper,we mainly discuss the composition and development logic of belief.The three major structural elements that constitute belief are: the subject of belief,the object of belief,and the practice of belief.During the development of faith,There are two forms of faith.The first is the form of belief where the object of knowledge overlaps with the object of belief,God's faith falls into this category.The second is the development from specific ideas to concepts,forms of belief in which belief objects and belief subjects can be transformed,fairy faith falls into this category.On the basis of clarifying the constituent elements of faith,Combing the two characters of god and immortal in the belief of the gods,from the two aspects of the meaning and connotation.During the Spring and Autumn Period,the belief system of“Emperor(Tian)” led to the belief system of God.In the Warring States Period,the authority of "Tian" belief broke down,different regions present distinct belief States.The word "God" developed to the meaning of the Warring States Period:I.Continue to express the gods they believe in;2.Expressing the spirit of man;3.the state of the soul after death;4.the state that can be reached by man(God-man).The word “xian”has also undergone a glyph change from “xian(rising)” to “xian(mountain)”.The implication of its connotation is from the meaning of rising to the person who expresses immortality.The establishment of the immortal connotation is divided into two stages.The concept of immortal soaring from the pre-Qin period to the Western Han Dynasty,Replaced by the word "fairy" to indicate immortal ascension.From the Western Han Dynasty to the Eastern Han Dynasty,with the development of the belief in theimmortals.Combination of "Shenxian" Practice Method and Health Preservation Techniques,the concept of “death” immortality and the concept of “immortal ascension”,the concept of "immortal" was formed in the Eastern Han Dynasty.From Spring and Autumn to the Warring States Period,the rise of the "gentleman" class led to the transfer of cultural centers.The early intellectuals who were proficient in astronomy,geography,witchcraft and mythology were also in the intelligentsia.Various ideas enter the land of Yanqi,collision with the traditional ideas of the place.Further promoted the practice of seeking medicine in the sea,and the concept of immortal ascension.The change and development of the function itself has also promoted the generation of Fangxiandao(a group that promotes the concept of immortal ascension).The Shang Dynasty formed a model of co-governance between wizards and historians.On the basis of the Western Zhou Dynasty,the official system was formed.Officials in charge of witch affairs in the spring and autumn period were gradually excluded from politics.As aristocracy shifts to bureaucracy,the Courtier system Start to crack,a large number of these officials went to the people to become early alchemists.In the Warring States Period,after entering Qidi,a group of Fangxiandao formed with the purpose of “seeking medicine in the sea,soaring to death”.There are two important places in the universe schema constructed by the immortal beliefs in the pre-Qin period:Celestial and Sea God Mountain.Based on these two places,the idea that people can ascend to the realm of heaven by searching for Shenshan and seeking immortal medicine.The efficacy of the immortal medicine coincides with Qi's“hard-to-grow”and “immortality” desires since ancient times.Further promoted the birth of the practice of fairy beliefs.The stage of belief before the concept of the "fairy" was born,first is belief based on immortality and ascension.Then,with the development of the faith,the belief was shifted to the fairy group.There are three main aspects of the practice of immortality in the pre-Qin period:1.The practice of faith centered on the mountain.Seeking the mountain on the sea in the pre-Qin period was a primitive way of practicing the belief in the gods.With the development of beliefs,there is a practice of beliefs that is “immortal climbing”.In the Western Han Dynasty,"Feng shan" was also included in the practice of fairy belief.In turn,the practice method of "louju" attracting immortals appeared.2.the practice of faithcentered on immortality.Elixir itself is one of the constituent elements of myth,with the exchange of regional cultures,the "eternal medicine" myth in Qi dynasty changed from myth context to fairy context.And then there is a fairy tale that asks for“immortality”.From Immortal Medicine of Shenshan to “Medicine” of Immortality,this leads to the practice of belief in taking food.3.The concept of "immortal ascension" gradually became the core point of view of immortality in the pre-Qin period.On this basis,a practical method of "interpretation" incorporating the tradition of cremation was created,through cremation,human can reach heaven.