Political Myth and Religious Beliefs in a Ritual of Ancestor Worship in Huizhou, China THESIS ...

120 Pages·2017·1.07 MB·English

Political Myth and Religious Beliefs in a Ritual of Ancestor Worship in Huizhou, China

THESIS

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the
Graduate School of The Ohio State University

By
Wei Liu
Graduate Program in East Asian Languages and Literatures

The Ohio State University
2017

Thesis Committee:
Mark A. Bender, Advisor
Meow Hui Goh
Copyrighted by
Wei Liu
2017
Abstract

Ancestor worship is a common tradition in Anhui, China and its relevant ritual
practices constitute an important part of local popular religion. It is now experiencing
revival along with a flourishing of popular religion across mainland China in the wake of
the reform era. Cultural and religious researchers have generated much interest in this
widespread social phenomenon. They explain it as an attempt to fill a “spiritual vacuum”
or simply as an effort to garner political and economic benefits. But I argue that we
should avoid lumping a great variety of beliefs and practices together under the name of
“popular religion,” trying to explain them as a whole. Instead, we must address the
variety of form and theoretical significance of these practices. Examination of a particular
form of local ritual can yield new and different insights into a set of cultural and social
values behind it. This paper studies the symbolic meanings of the objects and behaviors
in a style of ritual performance of ancestor worship in a small village of Huizhou area in
eastern China. To analyze the symbolic meanings of this ritual and its social meanings, I
use the performance approach and social analysis of ideological discourse to point out
that there are religious and political realities intertwined and embodied in these
performances. Therefore, the revival of ancestor worship is actually a move to reenact the
ancient Confucian tradition of respecting ancestors and its myth of kingly governance
and, thus, to cause common people to comply with the dominant political power in the
ii
modern context. My analysis facilitates the understanding of the vernacular aspect of
Confucian ritual practices in terms of its role in carrying on the tradition, negotiating with
the dominant official discourse and maintaining social cohesion.

iii
.

Dedication
For my mother, Mingxia明霞, who loves me unreservedly

iv
Acknowledgments

There are many people to whom I would like to express my gratitude for their
help during the process of writing this thesis. First and foremost, I would like to thank my
advisor, Dr. Mark Bender, for his patient guidance, thought-provoking ideas, inspiring
suggestions, and tireless efforts in revising the draft of my thesis. Not only has he
imparted knowledge but he also has cared about my health, which moves me deeply. I
also want to thank Dr. Meow Hui Goh, my committee member, for her helpful comments
and criticisms, which have prodded me to think more deeply. Her literature class enabled
me to experiment with various theoretical frameworks and analyze the Chinese literature
that informs the practices I studied. I must also thank Dr. Amy Shuman, Dr. Kirk Denton,
and Dr. Hugh Urban for their valuable advice and beneficial teaching methods. I am
grateful to the teachers and scholars in the 227th Annual Meeting of American Oriental
Society for their close attention to my project and advice for further research. I am
indebted to all these enshi 恩師 great teachers who have shaped me.
In addition, as the Chinese saying goes, “When you drink water, don’t forget
those who dug the well” (heshui buwang dajingren 喝水不忘打井人). Most of all, I
thank people in Qimen, Anhui. When I did my fieldwork there, they welcomed me
v
warmly and hosted me considerately. They were willing to provide any help I needed and
all the information I asked for. They cherished the tradition, carried it on and wanted it to
be known. My heart was constantly touched by their kindness and hospitality. At last, I
am grateful to my mother who has supported me all through my life.
.

vi
Vita

Born February 20, 1990………………...…………………………………….Anhui, China
2008-2012…………………………………………………………..B.A. Anhui University
2013-2015………………………………………………………….M.A. Anhui University
2016-Present…………………………………………………………..Teaching Associate,
Department of East Asian
Languages and Literatures,
The Ohio State University

Fields of Study

Major Field: East Asian Languages and Literatures
Area of Interest: Chinese Literature, Oral Performance, Folklore, and Local Culture

vii
Table of Contents

Abstract .......................................................................................................................... ii
Dedication ..................................................................................................................... iv
Acknowledgments ...........................................................................................................v
Vita .............................................................................................................................. vii
List of Figures .................................................................................................................x
Chapter 1 Introduction .....................................................................................................1
Chapter 2 Literature Review .......................................................................................... 11
2.1 Performance Approach and Sociological Perspective ........................................... 11
2.2 Chinese Folk Beliefs and Practices ....................................................................... 15
2.2.1 Ancestor Worship in China ............................................................................ 15
2.2.2 Popular Religion in China .............................................................................. 21
2.2.3 Temple Worship in Huizhou .......................................................................... 27
Chapter 3 Contextualized Description of the Ritual Performance ................................... 34
3.1 Cultural Context of the Performance .................................................................... 35
3.2 Situational Context of the Performance ................................................................ 44
viii
Chapter 4 Ritual Process in the Ancestral Hall ............................................................... 57
4.1 Setting of the Ritual.............................................................................................. 57
4.2 A Basic Understanding of Keys to Performance ................................................... 61
4.3 Transition in Liminality and Formation of a Communitas ..................................... 72
Chapter 5 Symbolic Social Constructs of Ritual Performance ........................................ 84
5.1 Sentiments of Affinity and Estrangement ............................................................. 85
5.2 Politics of Myth .................................................................................................... 89
5.3 Counter-myth in Social Reality ............................................................................ 93
Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 96
Bibliography ................................................................................................................ 101

ix