The Study Of The Zhenren Of The Chu State As Seen By The Chu Jian

Because of the population of Divination in Chu,diviners,who are closely related to divination,occupy an important position in the society of Chu.They are not only proficient in Chu characters and documents,but also knowledgeable in history and familiar with the old classics.And they are perfect in the mastery and application of astronomy and calendar.At the same time,the diviners have rich experience.By means of divination,they are widely involved in politics,economy and culture,and even have an inseparable relationship with birth,death,illness,senility,and basic necessities of people in Chu.The divination and prayer activities of the diviners in Chu are mostly recorded in divination slips unearthed from Wangshan,Tianxingguan,Baoshan,Qinjiazui and Xincaigelin.The contents of their divination specifically involve the prediction and prayer of travel,disease,resettlement,serving the king and so on.In addition to Chu divination slips,there are also sporadic records of the various activities in ancient literature such as Li,Zuo Zhuan,Historical Records,Guoyu and Chu Ci.According to these records,there are quite a lot diviners in Chu,and no less than 70 are listed in this paper.In addition,the number of diviners seen in Chu divination slips is in direct proportion to the social status of the tomb owners.The higher the status of the tomb owner,the more diviners divine for him.The identities of the diviners are different.Not everyone has official occupations.And those officials have different power and responsibilities.Besides,the relationship between diviners and the use of divining tools in Chu has the characteristics of inheritance,stability and diversity.Diviners even gradually combine different divination tools to divine.As to the diviners,they have the characteristics of heredity,professionalism,dispersion,diversity,mobility,territory and collectivity.With the diversion of divination and the intensification of kingship,the diviners in Chu gradually diverge and break the monopoly of the kingship over divination.As a result,they move from their involvement in the political affairs of the state to the care for the lives of ordinary people,and the scope of their activities gradually widen.The main aspects of their care for the lives of Chu people are their participation in the funeral rituals,their involvement in the daily lives,and their influence on the education.In terms of funerals,diviners invoke the spirit of the dead and divine for graves and burial days for the dead and pray for peace and prosperity,good weather and national security for the living.In daily life,diviners pray for the growth of each individual,treat diseases,and guide travel and residence of Chu people.In terms of education,the knowledge possessed by the diviners fit in with the social reality and educational content of Chu,and diviners also disseminate knowledge of divination and prayer,ritual,astronomy,and so on,which objectively influences the tradition of witch culture in Chu.In conclusion,according to the relevant records of Chu slips,the diviners of Chu are involved in all aspects of social life.They have extensive knowledge and excellent talents.As they are diverted from the imperial court and enter all levels of Chu society,they have a broader impact on Chu society.The study of the diviners in Chu with the help of Chu divination slips not only provides us with new materials,but also shows a new perspective for understanding the history of Chu in a comprehensive and multi-level way,and enriches the vision of the study of the history and culture of Chu.