A Research To Yanshen Belief In Boshan

For her filial piety, the common woman Yan Wenjiang moved the God and gets the spring, then she was honored as immortal by the local people. With the evolution of times, the story of Yan Wenjiang became richer and richer. From The Song Dynasty, the Country started to grant Yan Wenjiang in order to strengthen its Control of the local society. On the other hand, the local people builded Yan Wenjiang as local protection of Goddess from a practical point of view. Both of them build the image with the purpose of utility, only the gentry emphasized her function for Moral example. After the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, Her temple was rebuild for many times, and the Officials came to sacrifice to her at the age of year, which reflected the enormous and continuous influence of Yanshen belief to the local society.The functions of Yanshen were expanded after the Tang Dynasty, which made deep signs of the times. Before the Song Dynasty, her function focused on raining because of the natural geographical environment of Boshan County, which was admitted by the country. When the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, her function was to protect the local people from the wars besides raining, just because of the war continued social environment. To the Ming and Qing Dynasties, her functions turned to diversification day by day. Finally, Yanshen who was responsible for rainfall evolves into a local immortal who main the life of the local people.The belief of Yanshen played an important role in Boshan County. The Clan organization enhanced the internal cohesion and improved the social prestige by the belief of Yanshen. At the same time, the belief of Yanshen can continue and expand her influence for some clan generations continued to participate in. The village organization strengthened their ties by the belief of Yanshen. The gentry played a leading role in the activities of the belief. They used the belief to instill the orthodox ethics and to improve themselves in local society. Besides, the belief had a wide social influence in the performance of specific names development, economic development and people’s daily life etc.