Folk Religion And Realms Of Memory Of Xijie Village Community In Zhangzhou

Xijie village community,a settlement of dwellings with more than one surname outside the west gate of Zhangzhou Prefectural City,resides in the Zhangzhou Plain,with low terrain,unblocked waterways,but unsound water conservancy facilities.It frequently suffers from floods and droughts,bringing production and life threats to the village community.In addition to seeking help from themselves and others,the people of the Xijie village community in the agrarian age may also tend to worship the gods,wishing to solve the crisis of survival by resorting to the supernatural power.This custom has continued up to now.The people of the Xijie village community in all past dynasties have selected the gods that they can entrust their wishes of survival and life from the folk gods,by which,a belief system with local characteristics composed of medical god worship,water god worship,common Buddhist and Taoist gods worship and local land god worship has been developed,and a group of palaces and temples based on the "Xijie village community Palace of Royal Highness","West Qing Palace" and "West Mei Palace" were constructed.An in-depth understanding on how the folk religion of the Xijie village community experienced rise,prevalence,restriction to restoration,legalization,transition of functions and focuses,and further development with the advancing village community process may be acquired through further survey and discussion of its present situation.According to the studies,the folk religion does not exist separately in the village community,it has diverse interactive relationships with the common worshippers,worship elites,local governments,land developers,travel agencies and other forces,in which,the transition of the religions on palaces and temples is reflected accordingly.The palaces,temples and religion activities of the Xijie village community,an important component of the villagers' memories,have been integrated into the daily life of the villagers in the inheritance from generation to generation due to the close relationship between folk religions and civil Village,and they play a role of village community integration and spiritual ballast.For that reason,the palaces and temples have developed into a "Realms of Memory" for the folk religion in the village community.As the urbanization process goes forward,the "Realms of Memory" serves as a settlement place for "cultural nostalgia",and a carrier of folk culture space,and it also leads to an "everlasting memory of the village community".The differences,diversity and complexity of the folk religions of the Xijie village community preserved in "Realms of Memory" prevent the folk religions of the Xijie Club from disappearing in the process of urbanization,and supplement and resist the homogeneous,unified,and linear mainstream historical narrative of folk religions.