英文摘要 |
The paper focuses on organization and functioning of temple communities in rural areas of Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces, it is based on the data collected during field work in 2008- 2009. The aim of the study is to discuss what role the temples play in the religious life of the villagers, who are integrated around these temples to perform collective worship of the tutelary deities. The paper provides factual data that reveals the similarities and local specifics of the temples` interaction with rural society in the neighboring areas of western Shanxi 山西and Shaanbei 陝北. We illustrate specifics of organization and power distribution inside two different temple communities hui 會 from Hengshan county 橫山縣 in Shaanbei, one of them has a temple of the Perfected Warrior – Zhenwu 真武as a center, another community worships Bull King Bodhisattva - Niuwang pusa 牛王菩薩. The paper touches upon modes and structures of intra- and crossvillage self-organization and selfgovernance spurred by common need to perform worship, role of professional ritual specialists and village administration in the ritual practice is discussed. The conclusions about differences and similarities of worship practices in neighboring areas of Shanxi and Shaanbei are drawn, and reasons of such disposition are suggested. |