Contemporary Reconstruction Of Folk Beliefs In The View Of Power Structure

This article study the changes of the folk tradition from the perspective of anthropology in traditional folk reengineering in contemporary specific power structure.The study is based on the research of Zhangwang temple,Yangong temple and Chenghuang temple. The article study those three kinds of power in the process of role change and overall structure change.The folk beliefs of JiangXi province have experienced the significant changes since the80s of the20th century, including the growth of new element, the change of original history and culture and re_engineering of the original content. It is the tradition of active adjustment in the new era environment which makes these changes take place, these change is the result of the interaction of all parties in power pattern.What is the most important reason of the recasting of folk beliefs is the state power, as a representative of "absence" power, the state power affect the convention through indirect ways. But its enforcement agencies backed by countries will act to civil society through various ways, such as violent revolution, the mass movement profoundly and political movement. The country exclude the scope of folk beliefs from the mainstream ideology since the years of the republic of China. With the development of the society, the government are trying to included the folk beliefs during modernization construction, and making it a part of mainstream ideology, Local departments for cultural administration at various levels shall regulate the practice of folk beliefs as the cultural relics,the government administrate folk beliefs in the name of "spiritual civilization","folk culture" and "non-material cultural heritage ". Local government and folk beliefs interact each other in the process of constantly changing, the local government affects the folk beliefs activities through specific administrative means directly, but it also formed a cooperative relationship with folk belief. Local government regards folk religion as game tools during the interaction with the nation to strive for more resources and national interest in contemporary modernization movement. The folk belief was dominated by rules of economic benefit,"tourism development""urban planning" and "cultural development" are three tactics to reshaping the folk belief.Civil society is compose of the folk elite, rely on their mastery of the knowledge resources and a kind of moral power, they participate in folk--beliefs reconstruction with its unique cultural capital, and strengthen their prestige in the middle of the reforging process. Civil society groups appears usually as a folk religion management organizers, what the most important actor is "introspection" and "initiative".The transition of contemporary folk beliefs is the result of the re-structuring, local governments, civil society organizations and the government accomplish the re-making of folk belief. The role of the three powers changed during the process also, government changed form decision-maker to planner,civil society changed form practitioner to coordinator,the local government changed form performer to partners.The relationship between the original parties rule is no longer applicable anyway, new rules are produced in the course of action of three parties.