Why did the ancients worship historical figures?
In the long history of ancient society, there are many mysterious and thought-provoking social phenomena, such as tomb robbery, underworld, eunuchs and green buildings. These phenomena are very different from our modern social norms and values, but in the eyes of the ancients, they were part of life.
Among them, the worship and pursuit of gods, heroes, and immortals are more striking. Why do tomb robbers worship Cao Cao, underworld people worship Guan Yu, eunuchs worship Yue Fei, and Qinglou women worship Lu Dongbin?
What is the cultural and historical background behind these phenomena? And what role did they play in ancient societies?
Tomb Exploration and Tracing Cao Cao's Footprints In ancient Chinese history, especially during the Tang and Song dynasties, tomb robbery was very common. This is mainly because the ancients highly valued ancestors and tombs, believing that the souls of ancestors needed to rest in the tombs, which were said to hold countless treasures that could bring good luck and wealth to people.
In addition, tomb robbing existed in ancient societies, partly due to the economy. Some people of lower social status, such as farmers, vagrants, and thieves, may choose to rob tombs in order to obtain more wealth and necessities.
As for the phenomenon of worshiping Cao Cao, it is mainly because of Cao Cao's powerful image and lofty status in history. First of all, Cao Cao's political talents and achievements made him one of the important objects of worship.
In the turbulent years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, he stepped forward and carried out a series of political reforms, advocating Confucianism and focusing on education and cultural development, thus founding the Wei state, quelling the wars and briefly bringing peace to society.
He also actively advocated the "State of Etiquette", emphasizing social order, which greatly improved people's living standards and cultural literacy. These achievements made Cao Cao a role model in the hearts of the people, and many people looked to him as a model of political leadership during his lifetime and after his death.
In addition, Cao Cao's outstanding performance in the military field is also an important reason for people to respect him. He led his army to victory in many battles, defeating many strong enemies, such as Lü Bu, Yuan Shao, Liu Bei, etc.
He had excellent command skills, was good at formulating strategies and tactics, and led his troops to gallop across the field.
In ancient societies, bravery and force were seen as symbols of masculinity, and Cao Cao's excellence in these areas made him a great prestige in the hearts of the people.
And his cultural attainments and talent also make people respect him. He is an outstanding writer, proficient in poetry and **, and is one of the main characters in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".
His cultural achievements and talent have made many people fall in love with and chase him. Historically, many people revered Cao Cao, and some even paid their respects by robbing tombs.
The existence of this phenomenon not only shows Cao Cao's prestige and status in ancient society, but also reflects the society's admiration for bravery and force, as well as the respect and worship of cultural figures.
In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, Wu Silai, a famous tomb robber, was famous for his exquisite tomb robbing skills. He has stolen precious cultural relics from ancient tombs many times, and even stole imperial tombs, for which he has been imprisoned many times.
Legend has it that he made a special trip to the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, Henan Province, to express his admiration for Cao Cao. After successfully stealing the relics from Cao Cao's tomb, he also worshipped Cao Cao reverently in the tomb.
Ancient underworld organizations, also known as *** organizations, are illegal groups that use violence, intimidation and other means to organize and control social activities and resource allocation.
The history of this illegal organization can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period in ancient China. The emergence and development of underworld organizations are closely related to social turmoil and the instability of political power.
Some underworld groups will use chaos to expand their influence in times of social unrest, while others will work with local political forces to gain protection and resources when political power is unstable.
In ancient societies, the social status of underworld organizations was diverse and complex.
In ancient times, gangster organizations, on the one hand, were regarded as illegal groups, and were condemned and suppressed by ** and society, and their members may even be severely punished by the law. On the other hand, some gangsters are also believed to represent the voice of a particular social class.
In short, the status of ancient gangsters in society is diverse and complex, they not only reflect the interests and needs of the bottom groups, but also are challengers to social order and law.
The tradition of the gang organization to worship Guan Yu has its roots in the deep cultural and historical background of ancient China. Guan Yu was an important general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, known for his loyalty, righteousness, bravery and other qualities, and was known as a symbol of loyalty and righteousness.
He is also one of the famous historical figures in Chinese culture and is highly admired and revered by people.
In some parts of China, some people from the bottom of society will join underworld organizations, and they often feel rejected by society and lack a legitimate channel to express their demands. Therefore, they will look for sustenance and identity in traditional culture, regard Guan Yu as a warrior, a righteous man, and a symbol of fairness and justice, and express their emotions and aspirations through worship, while showing their pursuit of justice and fairness.
In addition, Guan Yu is also a deity in Taoist and folk beliefs, and is believed to bless people with safety and health. For underworld organizations facing the danger of criminal activities, they hope to obtain protection and blessings by worshipping Guan Yu.
In a nutshell, the tradition of worshipping Guan Yu by the underworld organization has had a profound impact on ancient Chinese culture and history, both as a symbol of faith and cultural transmission, as well as a manifestation of the search for identity and belonging of marginalized groups in society.
This tradition is mainly popular among gangsters in southern regions, especially in Guangdong, Fujian, Taiwan and other places. In Taiwan's *** organization, Guan Yu is known as "Emperor Guan" and is regarded as the patron saint who protects *** members.
Every year on Emperor Guan's birthday and other important days, they would hold a sacrificial ceremony to pray for Emperor Guan's blessing on their business success and good health.
Gangsters in the Chaoshan region of Guangdong revere Guan Gong: In the Chaoshan region of Guangdong, gangsters regard Guan Yu as "Guan Gong" and regard him as their patron saint. Every year on the second day of the first lunar month, they will hold a grand sacrifice ceremony at their respective meeting place or in front of the Guan Gong Temple to pray for blessings and blessings from Guan Gong.
Fujian gangsters revere Guan Ye: In Fujian's gang organizations, Guan Yu is known as "Guan Ye", and he is also the god of faith of gang members. Every year on the second day of the first lunar month, the gangsters in Fujian will hold a grand sacrifice ceremony at their respective meeting places or in front of the Guandi Temple to pray for Guan Ye's protection.
Since the pre-Qin period, the history of eunuchs has been produced, and the real prosperity was in the Tang and Song dynasties. While eunuchs in the Tang Dynasty wielded real power over the emperor and could sometimes even influence court affairs, eunuchs in the Song dynasty became an integral part of court life.
By the Ming and Qing dynasties, eunuchs began to move from within the imperial court to society, and at the same time played an important role in commerce, culture, art and other fields. Since eunuchs were not bound by family and offspring, they could devote themselves to their work and show their talents and abilities, and thus in some respects they were superior to ordinary men.
In the court, eunuchs were the emperor's closest retinue, handling various daily affairs and having a certain amount of political influence.
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, eunuchs were given supervision and management responsibilities in the bureaucracy, reviewing the behavior of civil and military **, so as to have certain administrative powers.
Eunuchs worship Yue Fei is a traditional custom and belief in Chinese history, which stems from Yue Fei's lofty status among the people. Yue Fei won the love and respect of the people by successfully resisting the invasion of the Jin State many times.
Although the Southern Song Dynasty has fallen, the people still cherish the memory of this hero, seeing him as a symbol of national dignity and resistance to foreign aggression. Therefore, the eunuchs' worship of Yue Fei can also be regarded as their admiration for national heroes and their adherence to and inheritance of Chinese culture and historical traditions.
In the court, due to the special status of eunuchs, they often lived a lonely life and lacked family and friendship. In such cases, their identification with and acceptance of folk beliefs and customs is usually stronger.
The custom of worshipping Yue Fei provided the eunuchs with a kind of spiritual sustenance and emotional belonging, helping them to strengthen their faith and sense of identity. They adored the image of Yue Fei as a pursuit of loyalty, courage, and honor, as well as an expression of their loyalty to the emperor and the imperial court.
A typical example is the Qing Dynasty eunuch Li Tinglong, who was a faithful believer in Yue Fei and wrote his admiration for Yue Fei in the "Portrait of Loyal Martyrs" and hung it on the door of his house.
Li Tinglong was not the only one among Yue Fei's believers, on the contrary, he reflected the respect of many eunuchs at that time for Yue Fei. Legend has it that he personally built a huge wooden statue of Yue Fei and placed it in his home, where he would worship it every day to show his admiration and belief in Yue Fei.
This wooden statue of Yue Fei enjoyed a high reputation at that time, not only widely circulated among eunuchs, but also attracted some ** monks to come to worship.
Qinglou: In ancient times, the Qinglou was an entertainment place that set up multiple services such as artist performances, singing and dancing, drama, accompaniment, wine accompaniment, and performing arts.
Historically, Qinglou has undergone a long period of development, not only as an entertainment venue, but also as a cultural carrier. In the Tang Dynasty, Chang'an's "Wine Workshop" and Luoyang's "Wazi Street" were famous.
During the Song Dynasty, Qinglou began to appear in the core area of the city, becoming a place where literati and scholars gathered, artists performed, and romantic figures gathered. During the Yuan Dynasty, the number of green buildings increased dramatically, especially in major cities in the south.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the number and scale of Qinglou reached its peak, and the culture of Qinglou became increasingly prosperous.
The Qinglou played multiple roles in ancient society, serving as a haven for entertainment and a center for cultural exchange and artistic performances. Qinglou culture not only embodies a part of Chinese culture, but also has a deep connection with Taoist culture.
With their outstanding artistic talents, the artists in the Qinglou were deeply appreciated and hired by the literati and scholars, bureaucrats and merchants, and became indispensable and important figures in society. However, the development of Qinglou also faces some institutional and ethical pressures and challenges.
The artists in the Qinglou culture are not only pursuing secular entertainment, but also spiritual purification and spiritual restraint. Lü Dongbin, in Chinese culture, is an immortal with a high status, especially in Taoism, and is one of the eight immortals who are highly respected.
Therefore, the worship of Lu Dongbin by the people in the Qinglou is not only a commitment to Taoist beliefs, but also a respect and love for traditional Chinese culture. Although the Qinglou is regarded as an entertainment industry and is often misunderstood and rejected by the society, the people in the Qinglou seek not only a pastime, but also a kind of spiritual sustenance and spiritual support by worshipping Lu Dongbin.
In ancient China, the Qinglou was a common phenomenon, most notably the Qinglou near Donghuamen in Beijing. During the Qing Dynasty, the area became one of the most well-known Qinglou districts, with a large scale and high artistic level, and was hailed as a "cultural landmark" at that time.
In the center of it is located a temple dedicated to Lü Dongbin, which is also known as the "Lüzu Temple". This temple was built in the Ming Dynasty and was mainly dedicated to Lü Dongbin and became the center of worship in Qinglou.
It is rumored that on the second day of the second lunar month, the temple will hold a grand sacrifice event, not only the local ** and the temple Taoist priests participate, but also many prostitutes from the Qinglou come to offer incense and candles and pray.
This ritual continued until 1949, when the area was banned and the Lüzu Temple demolished after the establishment of a new regime by the Chinese Communist Party.
The motives and reasons for these ancient people's worship of gods are very different, but most of them are closely related to the political and other aspects of ancient society. Tomb robbers worship Cao Cao and the popular Cao Cao culture in the tomb, underworld people worship Guan Yu influenced by the culture of the Three Kingdoms, eunuchs worship Yue Fei out of the continuation of loyalty culture, and Qinglou worships Lu Dongbin, reflecting the blend of entertainment culture and belief culture.
The meaning of these phenomena also varies, and worshipping the gods can satisfy people's spiritual needs, obtain protection and protection, and also reflect the inheritance and continuation of ancient cultures.
Certain groups such as tomb robbers, ** members, eunuchs, and Qinglou women, because of their unique backgrounds and cultural connotations, also have unique meanings for the worship of gods. In short, the deep cultural, historical and social background behind the phenomenon of ancient people worshipping gods is rich in connotation and significance.
This cultural phenomenon is not only historical, but also provides valuable insights for our understanding of modern social and cultural issues.
In the process of in-depth understanding of ancient Chinese culture, he consulted a number of works, including "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", "The Story of Yueyang Tower", "Zhuangzi", "History of Chinese Folk Belief", "History of Ancient Chinese Religion", and "Dictionary of Ancient Chinese Historical Figures".
These books provide us with a wealth of historical, cultural, and philosophical materials, which help us better understand and appreciate the breadth and profundity of Chinese culture.