Chaoshan, please draw lots.
"Appreciating teachers" is a traditional folk custom in Chaoshan area, and it is a kind of sacrificial activity to the gods. It has a long history, many sacrificial objects and wide influence. Due to thousands of years of folk worship and deification, as well as the noise and use of rulers in previous dynasties, the worship of the Lord and his place (the palace of the Lord) have been shrouded in mystery.
Speaking of Chaoshan people's "learning from teachers", they are too knowledgeable. There are different "masters" to worship in different seasons. The scope is wide, involving many immortals, which is beyond ordinary people's imagination. In addition to the landlords who worship at home on the 15th day of the first month, there are also providence (Jade Emperor), Buddha (Tathagata), Guanyin, land father-in-law, God of Wealth and Moon Mother in a year.
Compared with religious activities such as worshipping Buddha, "worshipping teachers" is more local and flexible. The activity time of "Apprenticeship" is based on the lunar calendar. The first and fifteenth days of each month in the lunar calendar are fixed sacrificial time. These two days are usually held at home, and the form is relatively simple. Mainly to worship landlords and gods, put incense burners, candlesticks and offerings, burn incense and pray, and then burn paper. In addition, there are various other birth dates of gods, which are grand and solemn in form.
For example, on the birthday of God and the birthday of the land, especially in the first month, "learning from teachers" is not only active, but also large-scale. There are sacrifices at home, and we have to go to the "main hall" for sacrifices. We should also pay attention to the offerings. There are three kinds of animals: pigs, chickens and fish. Chaoshan snacks with special features, hair, table tennis, peaches, all kinds of fresh fruits, and red roast goose. Every village has its own grand "welcome the elderly" activity. Temples should provide extra-large incense, invite Taiwanese opera performances, have a guard of honor parade, set off firecrackers and fireworks.
In addition to burning incense and paper, there is also the form of "asking for a cup". Take two cups made of bamboo heads or wood, pray and land. If both pieces are tails, it is a "laughing cup"; If both sides are positive, it is "stable cup", which is unlucky; If one is right and the other is wrong, it is the "Holy Grail", which is a good sign that the content of prayer can be realized. This form is also used to talk to the gods. The Holy Grail means that the gods agree to your request, and vice versa.
Worship of gods is a phenomenon that exists in China and even in all mankind, and so is Chaoshan people. For example, in Dongli Zhi (Chen in the second year of the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty), "Cantonese customs are still expensive, and temples are thriving". There are thousands of large and small temples in Chaoshan area. The gods worshipped in temples include natural gods (mother of heaven and earth, sun god, moon god, wind god, rain god, thunder god, mountain god, river god, animal and plant god ...), Buddhist gods, Taoist gods, emperors, sages, heroes, honest officials and so on.
On the first and fifteenth day of the first lunar month, women with baskets can be seen running around the temples to worship. Immortals are collectively called "lords" in Chaoshan. Why are hipsters so obsessed with the worship of gods that many gods worship together? It should be said that there are certain geographical and historical reasons. Chaoshan is located along the coast, and it is also a barbarian land. Since ancient times, there have been many natural disasters and cultural development has been late. The primitive religious thought foundation led to the belief in God.
A concept of thinking is formed in people's minds. When people encounter a fate beyond their control, it is easy to sprout a belief in God. People believe in God and worship God, whether it is an idol or a natural image, because they think it is useful and beneficial to them, and they expect to "respond as required" to worship. The main reasons are: fear, insurance, entertainment, idolatry and so on.
In fact, it is difficult to locate such a thing as worshipping God. It can be said to be feudal superstition or belief. Faith is a good thing, and people can't live without it. People always have some spiritual sustenance and support, but if they believe more, they become superstitious. Chaoshan people today are the same as other nationalities in the world.
Although I believe that there is no god in the world, it is no harm to worship a god, at least in spirit. As the saying goes, "I would rather believe in what is there than what is not", and this kind of belief worship in Chaoshan basically inherits various traditional beliefs of the Han people on society. Due to various sacrificial activities, there are more gods and temples in Chaoshan, which gradually become a typical and distinctive part of folk culture.