[Explanation] "City God" is one of the most common folk beliefs in Chinese religious culture. The Temple of the City God is evenly distributed in a net shape, with a large number of sacrificial activities and participants.
At the same time, the image of the city god is often very local, usually a local hero.
But it is surprising that in Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia and other places, there are also a large number of Chenghuang Temples, which even have an important influence on the lives of local people.
Zheng Tuyou, professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature of Fudan University, vice-chairman of the Chinese Folk Writers Association, and vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association, pointed out in an exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Agency that Chenghuang Culture is a connection between overseas Chinese, overseas Chinese and the homeland of China. It is an important spiritual bond that connects them and integrates into overseas locales with its inclusiveness. It is a bridge to spread Chinese civilization and traditional values.
[Concurrent] Zheng Tuyou, professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Fudan University, vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association, and vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association
Regarding its origin, it is pushed to the Neolithic period.
"City" is the city wall, "Huang" is the moat, and it is the product of the humanization after the incarnation of these two real objects.
Then, as a god, the City God may have only appeared during the Three Kingdoms period. During the Three Kingdoms period, the Temple of the City God appeared, so this should be a prototype of the belief in the City God.
[Explanation] Zheng Tuyou told reporters that in the evolution of the city god, its function has always been the local protection god.
The Ming Dynasty was a turning point in the development of the Chenghuang belief. In the first year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict that all cities at the county level and above should build the Chenghuang Temple.
The city god culture is also the only folk belief that takes the city as the main body.
[Concurrent] Zheng Tuyou, professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Fudan University, vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association, and vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association
The City God Temple is the center of the original old city, and it is basically a temple to promote the city.
Protect the safety of this city and protect the happiness of the citizens in this city.
In modern terms, it is responsible for something spiritual.
[Explanation] Why is Chenghuang culture widely spread overseas?
Zheng Tuyou said that because the "protection" function of the City God is precisely what Chinese people who have traveled across the ocean and want to establish a foothold in unfamiliar places value.
In addition, in Chinese culture, although "kinship" and "geography" are the most important factors that unite people, their coverage is still limited. At this time, the role of "sacred relationship" will be reflected.
[Concurrent] Zheng Tuyou, professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Fudan University, vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association, and vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association
The role of "kinship" and the role of "geographical relationship" cannot be included, and it is necessary to rely on "sacred relationship" as a link.
Therefore, the scope of "sacred relationship" is wider than that of "kinship" and "geographical relationship", and it has the function of spiritual bond.
[Explanation] Zheng Tuyou revealed that many Chinese have already taken root overseas and integrated into the local area.
After Chinese folk beliefs took root in exotic places with the Chinese, they took the Chinese as the center, exerted influence in the larger local social circle, and attracted people from other ethnic groups to join.
[Concurrent] Zheng Tuyou, professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Fudan University, vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association, and vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association
The Chinese also have a social circle. He is not only the Chinese himself, but also has contacts with the local people.
Therefore, he gradually influenced the values of other surrounding ethnic groups through his beliefs and was accepted by the locals. This is actually beneficial to the spread of our Chinese culture.
[Explanation] Will traditional Chinese folk beliefs decline among the second or even third generation of overseas Chinese?
Zheng Tuyou said that the traditional belief of going to sea has been preserved and inherited among the local Chinese, and passed down from generation to generation.
[Concurrent] Zheng Tuyou, professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Fudan University, vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association, and vice-chairman of the Chinese Folklore Association
I went to Penang to participate in the Nine Emperor Gods event one year, and there were actually many young people who came to the ancestral temple to burn incense.
The revival in recent years may be mainly because we have begun to pay attention to traditional culture. The development of intangible cultural heritage is a very good time for folk beliefs, that is to say, it has actually done a proof work for folk beliefs.
[Explanation] Zheng Tuyou pointed out that looking at the current folk belief and cultural activities in mainland China, the phenomenon of homogeneity is serious, and different belief cultures have not yet highlighted their own characteristics, which needs to be considered and improved.
Reported by Li Pengfan, Zhonghua Kang Yuzhan from Shanghai
Responsible editor: [Cheng Chunyu]