A Study Of The Heavenly Kings Of West Hunan Province Development Condition

The belief of Heavenly Kings is one of the largest folk beliefs in Xiangxi area.It is also the common belief of the local nationalities.This article studies the belief of Heavenly Kings in the Heavenly Kings Temple in Yaxi district of Jishou,the capital of the Western Hunan Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture.Chapter 1 defines the belief of Heavenly Kings.The Heavenly Kings is also known as the Three Kings which are the Great King with yellow face,the Second King with red face and the Third King with black face.Since ancient times,it has been a common belief of the local nationalities and have an effect on the Miao nationality.After the famed 18fth century Miao rebellion,the Heavenly Kings was legalized by Qing government.As the most important folk beliefs in the western Hunan province,the Heavenly Kings has strong national and regional characteristics.The article then gave a detailed introduction to the origin,propagation route and the festival activities of the Heavenly Kings.Chapter 2 includes three parts.The first part takes a detailed account of the temple fair including commercial activities,cultural activities and the sacrificial ceremony.The second part describes the daily ritual activities.The topic of the third part is the composition of the three parties'power.In Chapter 3 records and analyzes the feeling of my own experience in the temple fair because of the tendency of anthropology called"writing self".Chapter 4 discusses the characteristics of the belief of Heavenly Kings and why it development.The conclusion as following:There are two problems that may make negative effects which are regional downsizing and solidification of the believers.However,it is still the most influential folk belief in Xiangxi area,there are there elements that sustain the development of the belief of the Heavenly Kings which are freedom of religious belief in China,the function of the Heavenly Kings and so on.