A Study On The Belief And Sacrifice Of Jiwang In Yuncheng Area

Houji(Qi)was full of mystery since he was born.Houji is respected as the ancestor of farming,the god of agriculture and the ancestor of the Zhou people.Houji has been respected and sacrificed by the emperor and the people for thousand years since the Western Zhou Dynasty.The culture of Houji is still an important part of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation.It has become the symbol and representative of China’s agricultural civilization,farming spirit and agricultural economy.From ancient times to the present,the social and economic life of the people in Yuncheng area has undergone drastic changes,but the belief of the Jiwang Temple as a grass-roots culture has never faded,and it has been in the daily life of the people.It is an important part of the folk life for the local people.Therefore,it is necessary to study the the belief of the Jiwang Temple in Yuncheng area.By studying the local belief culture,it can not only glimpse the historical and cultural features of the area,but also provide a abundant and relevant research materials for belief of the Jiwang Temple in China.First of all,this paper sorts out the existing relevant documents and materials,and conducts a category analysis of the existing materials from the comprehensive studying of Houji culture and the studying of Houji belief culture in Yuncheng area;Secondly,tracing the historical origin of the belief of the Jiwang Temple,and highlighting the historical status of the Nongshen-Hoji on the scale of the worship of the Jiwang Temple at the official and non-governmental levels.At the same time,this paper analyzes the cultural and geographical environment of the local society in Yuncheng to explore the conditions and origin of the worship of the local Jiwang Temple.Thirdly,the temples of the Jiwang Temple ’s Palace are introduced based on field visiting.Combining the knowledge of folklore and architecture to analyze its distribution characteristics,architectural characteristics and folklore implications;Then based on field investigations,this paper analyzes its characteristics and functions from the civil and official sacrifice activities of the Jiwang Temple’s faith in Yuncheng area.At the same time,the case study is carried out with the lifting performance of the sacrifice parade.Finally,this paper discusses "how to inherit and carry forward the Jiwang’s belief better in Yuncheng area" and analyzes the problems existed in the Jiwang’s faith in the realm,and puts forward reasonable suggestions.It is hoped that the Jiwang’s belief culture and sacrifice activities in this area can be developed and inherited better.