Folk Religion For A Single Lineage Village's Maintenance

There are some internal relations between Chinese folk belief and rural grassroots organizations, folk beliefs of the rural society perspective it is an important traditional viewpoint. It connects closely with grass-roots organization of area and also plays a role in those aspects of community structure and social space. On the one hand, the organization is the specific organizer and executor for folk belief activities.On the other hand, folk belief continuously reinforcing the cooperation and recognition for the masses strengthens the authority of organization. Both sides have some interactive relations. Single lineage villages are one of Chinese traditional village organization form, it is to point to by a patriarchal clan formed in somewhere inhabit the village breed. The folk beliefs in a single lineage has its own unique families features. It can Strengthen and consolidate villages, sustain their families solidarity and multiply. Through studying the materials of local history and field work, the article takes the Zhaxi village of Western Zhejiang as a case to analyse the interaction between folk beliefs and patriarchal clan.Zhaxi is a typical single lineage village in huizhou area. " Jiu xianggong" is one of the gods in huizhou folk religion. Base on the local folklore and documents, study the origin of "Jiuxianggong" belief and the spread and evolution in Zhaxi. Discusses the folk belief's motivative function in WU patriarchal clan's inheritance and reproduction.Through field investigation and literature collection, we found that "Jiuxianggong" belief in Zhaxi has strong families characteristic:Sacrifice of "Jiuxianggong" often by their all families; For the WU patriarchal clan, only the clan of the branch which on duty has the qualification to "Bailaoye", enjoy "Bailaoye" economic benefits brought by; The man, who adopted into the bride's family (WU patriarchal clan) would be disqualified from "Bailaoye", unless change his names as WU when married; Other patriarchal clan who want to borrow The "Jiuxianggong" idol from Zhaxi should ask permission and conclude the contract with WU patriarchal clan, etc. These qualities make "Jiuxianggong" as local god gradually transition to the god of WU patriarchal clan.We know the villages that mainly includes two aspects:maintain internal unity and outside communication. "Bailaoye" faith form makes every WU clansman involved in "Jiuxianggong" beliefs, strengthen the families of WU identity and cohesion; "Yingshen" activities intensificated the communication and exchange between WU patriarchal clan and other patriarchal clans, Only Zhaxi keep up the "Jiuxianggong" idol which dominates the leading position of superiority and further enhance WU patriarchal clan internal condensed. So "Jiuxianggong" belief in maintaining Zhaxi's millennium inheritance does play an important role.