Initial Study On Primary Worshipping Beliefs Of Tay,Nung,Zhuang People On The Vietnamese-Chinese Borderline

Despite different beliefs and cultures, many ethnic groups have had interactions on one another during their history of development.The thesis consists of3chapters:Chapter1has two parts:Part1is the concepts of sky, land, objectives and methods of worshipping the god of sky of3ethnic groups including Zhuang group in China, Tay and Nung group in Vietnam. In the belief and Tay and Nung people, every natural and social thing has spirits, good and bad spirits, the greatest spirit of which is the god of sky. Therefore, the worshipping rituals are very solemn, holy and various. Like the ancient time in China, these two ethnic groups in Vietnam believe that the only connection between human beings and the god is through magicians. Therefore, magicians are also present in al rituals. There are different magicians for different subjects and purposes. In other words, magicians are classified into different types with different names based on the nature of the worship. There are clear-cut differences in this matter between Tay-Nung people and Zhuang people. This thesis aims at analyzing the similarities and differences among the three ethnic groups in worshipping the god of sky. Part2of the chapter discusses the cognition and beliefs of each ethnic group in natural spirits such as god of water god of fire, god of mountain, etc in worshipping. After comparing and contrasting the beliefs of3ethnic groups, the author can make conclusions on similarities and differences, hence draw out the relationships among the three groups. A part from gods of nature, the agricultural life of the three peoples helps shape the beliefs in worshipping gods of agriculture. They all share the belief in "spirits in everything", worship the sun, moon, rice plant, trees or even animals used in farming like buffalos. Te purpose of all these activities is to pray for security for the family so that human beings can have good lives.Chapter2is the study in ancestor-worshipping of Tay, Nung and Zhuang group. Chapter consists of5parts, that is worshipping the Maker, Ancestors, Career god, Village god and Heroes. The three groups have similarities in worshipping the Maker, linga, ancestors, god of land, etc. However, each group has different ways to worship. It can be said that, in the process of development, the culture of each group has absorbed certain features of other cultures and maintained its own unique things. In the interaction and exchange process, absorbing and transferring is a norm. It shows the non-stop development of culture, thought and the necessity and significance of studying ethnography.Basing on the findings, chapter3analyzes and synthesizes similarities and differences in the belief of worshiping of three ethnic groups. There are reasons and explanation for each similarity and difference in terms of language, history, etc. The three groups share a cultural background that is the Bach Viet culture, and under the influence of Han people. However, each group has developed its own style in the history. This process is also in line with the development of other groups in the world.