Jisixiongdigongchuhaiyishi
01 · Historical Records
Since the Ming dynasty, fishermen of Hainan Island going to work the distant oceans of the South China Sea have invariably held the Brother Gong sea-going ceremony. The legends recount Brother Gong's background, his death at sea and miraculous manifestations, and his escorting of voyagers; the main circulating versions are the "origin theory of fishermen swearing brotherhood to resist pirates" and the "origin theory of merchants engaged in maritime trade." In the Ming dynasty, facing natural disasters such as harsh environments and man-made calamities such as pirates and wokou (Japanese raiders), the Brother Gong sea god appeared in the image of a group of righteous Hainan-born male heroes, meeting the psychological needs of maritime exploration at the time, being closer to ordinary life, and bearing the character of historicity and hero worship.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The ceremony of worshipping Brother Gong before going to sea is a male production-worship activity held by Hainan fishermen since the Ming dynasty when setting out for fishing and trade in the distant oceans of the South China Sea, with the worship of Brother Gong as its theme. Qionghai City's Tanmen Port is one of the nearest ports to the Nansha Islands. With the changing times, what was originally a production-worship ritual dominated by men has gradually evolved into a folk belief custom of richer connotation. Brother Gong is also called the "One Hundred and Eight Brother Gongs" and the "Zhaoying Gong"; the belief custom consists of three major series: worship rituals, folk customs, and legends. The worship rituals are divided into temple worship, boat worship, and island worship. Temple worship means enshrining wooden spirit tablets of the ancestors on the spirit seat; boat worship is divided into pre-departure worship, worship in the production waters, and distress worship. Before departure, the captain worships Brother Gong on board; the crew eats a farewell banquet and then sets out. When the boat reaches production waters such as the Xisha and Nansha, Brother Gong is first worshipped on board. Upon first setting foot on any island, the Brother Gong of that island must be worshipped first. When in difficulty at sea, the crew prays to Brother Gong for protection and deliverance from danger. Worship activities run through the entire process of fishermen's production work at sea. Folk customs include New Year and festival worship, with the Zhongyuan (Ghost) Festival being the most important, as well as production worship, exorcising ships, "feng'an" porridge eating, and carp-lantern dancing. Before going to sea, the captain always goes to the Brother Gong temple for temple worship; in the evening the shipowner invites village boys at home to drink "feng'an" porridge, and wealthy families also invite carp-lantern performers into the house to play. In the fishing villages along the eastern coast of Hainan, almost every village has a temple dedicated to Brother Gong; as Hainan people's fishing and trading activities at sea continued, legends of Brother Gong's miraculous manifestations in the South China Sea kept multiplying, and fishermen's own experiences spread by word of mouth among the people, winning the custom more believers and wide distribution throughout Hainan Province. The Brother Gong sea god embodies the spirit of solidarity and mutual aid, care for the vulnerable, and pressing forward courageously, which plays a positive role in building a harmonious society. Under the protection of Brother Gong, fishermen distilled their experience of working the South China Sea into the Genglubu (Route Book), which has become historical testimony to China's development and management of the South China Sea. The worship temples left behind on the islands of the South China Sea provide further powerful evidence of sovereignty proving that the Xisha and Nansha Islands have been China's territory and territorial waters since ancient times. Brother Gong protects overseas Hainan Chinese in their survival abroad, giving shape to an overseas Hainan belief culture that has a certain social and cultural influence in Southeast Asian countries.
The pre-voyage rite and the farewell meal
Before casting off the captain addresses the shrine aboard, then the crew eat a farewell meal; departure is authorised by that meal rather than by any paper.
The landing-island rite
After worship aboard in the fishing grounds, the crew must pay respects at the shrine of the first island before the nets are set; a small tablet serves where no temple exists.
The distress sacrifice
When storms or quarrels arise at sea, a brief incense and prayer for protection suffices, keeping the rite running through every stage of the voyage.
The porridge for the dark night
Before sailing the owner invites village boys to share porridge, turning the risk of the sea into a quiet family meal before the boats go out.
Carp lantern entering the house
Wealthier households let a carp lantern dance through the hall before departure, a token of surplus that also reassures those about to sail.
Temple, boat and island rites
The cult divides into temple, boat and island rites; nearly every coastal village keeps its own shrine, yet all share one tale of the guardian brothers.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The shared circle of belief in Brother Gong contributes to the peace of the ancestral sea, connects the hearts of people at home and abroad who share the same ancestry and the same belief, promotes interaction and cooperation among nations, and is conducive to the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The Brother Gong belief custom is transmitted mainly through group transmission and family transmission. The inheriting groups have expanded from the initial fishermen to the men of fishing villages across the island, and then to overseas Hainan Chinese men and women in the South Seas and around the world; the main inheriting groups are the fishermen directly involved in the living transmission of the worship, among whom the Tanmen fishermen of Qionghai, who frequently work the distant oceans, are the most active.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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