Folk Beliefs and Customs

Ⅹ-85Folk CustomsXiangshan, ZhejiangBatch 2 (2008)Newly Added Item

01 · Historical Records

The civil war of the twentieth century created the special situation in which mainland China and the Taiwan region were cut off from each other; under these circumstances, a custom of mutual visits between the two sides—Xiangshan's Shipu and Taitung's Fugang (Little Shipu)—centered on Lady Ruyi, involving paying visits to her parents and welcoming her back, took shape. The formation of the Shipu–Fugang Lady Ruyi folk belief is related to a special period of history in the twentieth century. Because the civil war cut off mainland China and the Taiwan region from each other, Shipu in Xiangshan and Fugang in Taitung—two settlements of the same origin on opposite sides of the strait—were unable to interact, yet the people on both sides longed for the same sea goddess in the same way. It was in such circumstances that the custom of visiting parents and welcoming the bride gradually took form, and the incense of Lady Ruyi became even more concentrated because the land route had been cut. The roots of this belief lie in eastern Zhejiang. It is said that the people of eastern Zhejiang have worshipped Lady Ruyi for several hundred years; before going to sea, fishermen must go to the temple to burn incense and ask her to ensure a safe voyage. Unlike the neighboring belief in Mazu, Lady Ruyi is called a peace-bestowing and filial goddess of the sea; the sense of filial piety is stronger, and beyond ensuring safety she also looks after the harmony of the whole family and the continuation of its lineage. This unremarkable deity has survived longer in the fishing villages of the Zhejiang, Fujian, and Taiwan coasts than many more famous gods. Once communication opened, the incense took on a two-way path: when boats went out from Shipu, the fishermen had to fulfill their vows upon returning to port; the believers in Fugang also entrusted fishing boats to bring offerings and wishes across. The temples of the two places need not be connected every year, but the longing between them remains unbroken.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

Folk beliefs, also called "popular beliefs," are conventional traditional ideas formed by people in the long course of production and daily life; under the domination of such ideas, the populace develops psychological and behavioral identification with certain folk phenomena. The Yushan fishing village of Shipu Town, Xiangshan County, Zhejiang Province, and Fugang New Village, Taitung County, Taiwan Province, together worship the little-known peace-bestowing and filial goddess of the sea, Lady Ruyi. It is said that the people of eastern Zhejiang have worshipped Lady Ruyi for several hundred years.

Visiting the kin across the strait

The observance centres on visiting kin across the strait, the two settlements sharing one god of safe sailing and filial piety.

Welcoming the bride across the water

Wedding journeys bound families on either shore, with the sea goddess presiding over a union made by wind and tide.

A guardian of seafaring and family duty

Honoured as a protector of seafaring and of filial duty, she is visited before departure and after safe return.

Living beside the Mazu cult

Along the Zhejiang coast this self-grown cult stands beside Mazu, each holding its own place in fishermen's hopes.

Ties between the two villages

Fugang is also called Xiao Shipu, sharing a geographic memory with Shipu; the link gives the cult a transnational base.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

The Lady Ruyi folk belief is a phenomenon that arose spontaneously among the people; similar to the belief in Mazu, it is the spiritual sustenance of fishermen along the coasts of Ningbo, Taizhou, and Wenzhou in Zhejiang.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

The deities worshipped in traditional folk belief are an important source of the genesis of folk beliefs; praying for blessings and avoiding harm is the inner reason why traditional folk beliefs continue to be transmitted; and the aggregation of various folk cultural expressive forms constitutes the cultural space of folk beliefs. The Shipu–Fugang Lady Ruyi folk belief is an emotional bond that enhances cultural identity across the Taiwan Strait and an effective means of advancing the transmission of traditional Chinese morality; as an organic component of folk belief, it provides important reference for research in disciplines such as folklore and religious studies.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:

Wu Jishan 05-3019
Xu Shunwei 05-3020
Huang Guanghui 05-3021
Chen Jikun 05-3022
Sinapinchu 05-3023
Liu Shimei 05-3024
Zhang Qingming 05-3025
Zheng Quanguang 05-3026
Ye Da 05-3027
Li Yaohui
Luo Shengzong

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

Folk Beliefs and Customs (Xiangshan, Zhejiang) · China ICH Official Project Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗

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