Tree, Spirit And Human—The Study Of Tree-Worship And Its Ritual Of Khorchin Mongolians

Since ancient times, the Mongolian people have worshipped trees, which play a significant role in their social and military activities. Thus, the image of tree has been given sacred meaning throughout the ages.The Khorchin Mongolians also have the custom of tree worshipping, and they worship different trees in different villages, like elm, willow, cypress tree, etc. No matter which kind of tree they worship, they all call the tree:Shangxin Maodu. They believe that there is a spirit which called Shangxin God living in the tree. Each year, on the thirteenth day of the fifth lunar month, the locals gather together to hold ritual activities and pray for rain, especially when there was a threat of drought.This paper is based on literature and field research regarding tree worshipping and its rituals in Middle Orbugo, a small village in Khorchin. Through these studies, the paper introduces the forms and characteristics of tree worshipping, explores its origin and development, as well as discusses the relationships between people and God in the tree. On this basis, this thesis analyzes the reason why this belief was interrupted for a time, but then was revived and came back into people’s life.According to the content and structure, this thesis is consisted with six parts: introduction, main body, conclusion, bibliography, appendices, and acknowledgment.And the main body is composed of the following five chapters. Chapter one introduces the research origins, significance, methods, and data sources. After summarizing the state of research on similar studies, the content of this research is presented. The second chapter describes the general situation of Middle Orbugo and its tree worshipping. The third chapter is based on the firsthand information of fieldwork, in order to revisit the ritual process. The fourth chapter analyzes the source and development of the God in the Tree. This chapter also reveals the mode of thinking among Khorchin Mongolians, and the relationships between people and their God during the ritual process. The fifth chapter explains how people give symbolic meaning into activities, which makes them living according to a primitive mode of thinking, following the rules, and not breaking taboo. It demonstrates tree worshipping has positive meaning by training to one’s ecological and cultural view.Furthermore, it is generally believed that tree worshipping in Khorchin is a remnant form of an animist form of religion called Shamanism. However, from the current practices of tree worshipping in seems to combine the doctrine of Shamanism, with the Tibetan Buddhism’s view of gods. However, this is due to historical reasons, since it was necessary at certain to make changes and absorb other religions in order to continue spreading.Secondly, no matter how another religion infiltrated into tree worshipping, as the subject of this belief, the Khorchin Mongolians intuitively believe that there’s a mystical power in the tree. In other words, tree worship in Khorchin not only retains the characteristics of ancient religions, but it also maintains the mode of primitive thoughts through the beliefs.For these reasons, this natural belief spreads and remains fresh over hundreds of years, gradually and imperceptibly affecting Mongolians’ daily life, society, and culture.