| In China,there are gods in various fields and it is the same with coal field,one of which is 'Lao Jun Ye'.The worship of 'Lao Jun Ye' has many features,especially kinds of memorial ceremonies,including everyday-sacrifice,festival-sacrifice, birthday-sacrifice,coal-pit-opening sacrifice,returning-to-work sacrifice and so on. But the most important and representative ceremony is the birthday-sacrifice,which is on the 18th Day of the 12th Lunar Month every year.According to my field study on the birthday-sacrifice of 'Lao Jun Ye',I consider that 'Lao Jun Ye' is the combination of 'Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad' and 'Coal Pit God'.Coal resource abounds in China.Coal has been developed and used for a long period in China,especially in Shanxi Province.People of Shanxi accumulate rich knowledge of coal and coal mining,while at a miserable cost.Thousands of coalmine workers died under the coal mine.Between the gain and the pain,people of Shanxi try to look for the balance.Finally they find their belief which is the worship of Coal Pit God.'Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad',the highest god of Taoism,has higher popularity and better status.All of these can promote the popularity and status of coal industry.'Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad' has stronger supernatural power,which can protect coal miners from dangers.'Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad',as the flag of coal industry,has rallying point,cohesion,and deterrent force.All of these forces can rally and restrict person in the same occupation.Taoism,as an institutionalized religion,has large and strong power of influence and osmotic.For above-mentioned reasons,coal mine workers of Shanxi Zuoquan call 'Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad' as 'Lao Jun Ye',and receive him as local coal pit god.Religion is one of subsystems of our social structure.Forks belief is one component of Chinese social structure and the spiritual life of Chinese.The worship of Coal Pit God is one element of Chinese forks belief.So,the worship of Coal Pit God is one of subsystems of coal area social structure.The worship of 'Lao Jun Ye' is one of subsystems of Zuoquan county Shanxi province.The belief has special social functions,including Explanation function,mental-peace function,social-integration function,social-control function,and so on. |
