A Study On The Ehuang-Nvying Belief In Hongotng County,Shanxi Province

Regarding the Ehuang and Nvying belief in Hongtong county of Shanxi province as the research object,this paper sorts out the natural and geographical background as well as historical and cultural background of the emergence of this local belief.It includes these legends about Ehuang’s and Nvying’s identity,about myth story,about rituals,and also explores the interaction between different types of legends and beliefs.The paper first summarizes the history and present situation of the temple group,for example Tang Yao’s Homeland in Yangxie,Shenlimiao in Lishan Mountain(a temple in memory of Ehuang and Nvying’s contribution of transferring the building materials),Ehuang-Nvying’s Palace in Xiqiaozhuang village and Ehuang-Nvying’s Temple in Wan’an county,then analyzes the internal reasons for the building of each temple.With its development and changing,folk belief culture is constantly trying to fit with the mainstream culture,just as the beliefs of “ Emperor Shun cultivated at Lishan of Hongtong” and“ Emperor Shun established the capital at Wan’ an.” Because of the regions,believers have different identities in their beliefs,which are determined by tradition and are changing and even lead to conflicts with the development of the times.The change of faith identity urgently demanded by Wan’ an believers is the epitome of the times and economic changes.As an important part of folk life,Ehuang-Nvying belief has a complete festival celebration system,which affects every aspect of believers’ life.Such people all play their respective roles in the faith as ordinary believers,anchors of new media,administrators and organizers of temples,wizards,folk elites,government officials and so on.The belief has the profound cultural connotation and the rich social functions.For the past literature,the Ehuang-Nvying belief is only studied on its own legends,rituals and intangible heritage.However,folk belief culture should adapt to the times.The highlight of the paper is to put forward the the modernization adaptation strategy of the belief for three different aspects of governments,village-level organizations and the public.