Secularized Ancestral Temple And Adaptive Clan: Structure And Function Analysis Of Ancestral Temple

This article is taking the method of field investigation, the author chose 93 ancestral temples of three towns in TaiHe of JiangXi Province, attain 98 questionnaires among which there are 91 usable ones, then input the data into SPSS software, and start to expound based on the analysis of the data. This article is taking ancestral temple as the breakthrough point, try to explore that during the modern world, what's the condition of the clan whose main feature is ancestral temple. By the field survey of the ancestral temple's structure and function then describe and analyze the result through SPSS , the following conclusion can be made: as the time developed, the modern ancestral temple is very much different from the traditional one, it shows significant changes which are the simplify of both inside and outside structure and management rules, the secularization of its functions, for example, the decoration and layout inside and outside the ancestral temple is comparatively simplified when compares to the past, the consecration is not as ceremonious or palaver as the traditional times, many new modern-like functions such as reading room, activity room and so on appear in the ancestral temples. Meanwhile, from the level of organization and the structure of power of the committees establish in the process of rebuilding the ancestral temples, we can see that the men in charge of the ancestral temples has been changed from the presbyters of the past to the comparatively young and active-brained middle-aged. The presbyters in the committee don't have much real power, their existence is more mannerly and ceremonial to a great extent. As the most important symbol of the paternal clan, the change of ancestral temple will definitely result or demonstrate the change of the clan itself. This change further shows that in the modern society, the clan did not confine itself to its own circles, it was not completely the symbolization of the staleness, confine or oldness. It is positively adapting itself to the development of the society, and following the step of the time, improving itself getting better and better, now existing in a more open and vigorous way. Based on that, the author then expound, by the development of the time, in order to correspond to the modern society more effectively, clan absorbed the modern thinking patterns and culture features intentionally or unintentionally, became the secularized ancestral temple and adaptive clan, consequently get new development. And as the ancestral temple did not get any repulse from the competent authority during the process of the rebuilding, we can see that the government is showing an attitude as observingly indulgence towards the secularized ancestral temple and adaptive clan. It acquiescing and monitoring the development of the paternal clan as sort of a open-minded patriarch. It shows from a side view that as it comes to the current society, the traditional clan did no rigid or get old-fashioned, it appeared as adaptive paternal clan and found its new location in the new time background, therefore possess a new life and vitality.