Laozi Temple Fair in Laozi Temple

Laozi Temple Fair originated in the Han Dynasty. According to the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty: The Chronicles of Emperor Huan", in the eighth year of Yanxi reign, Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty sent ministers to Luyi, the birthplace of Laozi, to pay homage to Laozi and build a temple for Laozi, thus forming a temple fair centered on worshiping Laozi. Laozi temple fairs flourished in the Tang Dynasty. According to the records of "Old Book of Tang" and "New Book of Tang", the Li and Tang dynasties regarded Laozi and Li Er as their ancestors. In the third year of Wude, Li Yuan, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, used "Laozi Temple" as the ancestral temple, "with a special palace built like the residence of an emperor"; in the first year of Qianfeng, Li Zhi, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, personally led hundreds of officials to Luyi to hold a grand sacrificial event; In the second year of Tianbao, Emperor Xuanzong Li Longji granted the title of "Laozi Temple" as "Taiqing Palace". Later, Song Zhenzong Zhao Heng personally went to Luyi to pay homage to Laozi in the seventh year of Dazhong Xiangfu. In addition, emperors from the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties also came to Luyi to pay a personal visit or sent ministers to pay homage to Lao Tzu.

The fifteenth day of the second lunar month is Lao Tzu’s birthday. In order to commemorate Lao Tzu, later generations set up temple fairs in Laojun Terrace and Taiqing Palace in Luyi County to worship. It reached its peak in the Tang Dynasty, but was interrupted for a time due to historical reasons. , but the spontaneous small-scale sacrificial activities among the people have never stopped and continue to this day. In order to promote Laozi culture, expand external exchanges, promote investment, and provide convenience for tourists to find their roots and worship their ancestors, the Luyi County Party Committee and County Government decided to resume the Laozi Temple Fair in two scenic spots at the same time starting from 2006, with a duration of one month. The theme of the Laozi Temple Fair is "Carry forward Laozi culture, promote scientific development, and build a harmonious society." The temple fair activities are exciting and colorful, focusing on "increasing spiritual energy, gathering popularity, and generating wealth", and achieving "increasing scale, high scale, refined quality and good effects year by year". Fully display the charm of Laozi's culture, establish the image of Laozi's hometown, and enhance the influence and appeal of Laozi's hometown. The area where Laozi lived and moved in his early days was basically the Chen and Chu cultural areas. The native culture of this place should belong to the Dongyi Cultural District. One of the characteristics of this cultural district is that it attaches great importance to sacrificial activities. "Chen Feng is good at witchcraft, and Chu people believe in ghosts." "Wanqiu" in the "Book of Songs" is a poem that expresses typical sacrificial scenes in Chen. Zheng Xuan explained: "The eldest concubine has no children, and is good at witchcraft. She prays to ghosts and gods for the joy of singing and dancing. , it became a folk custom."

Luyi is the birthplace of Laozi. In the long historical development, it has formed distinctive folk activities. Every year on the 15th day of the second lunar month, folklore is that he is the birthplace of Laozi. On the day of his birth, the climax of worship is centered around Taiqing Palace to celebrate his birth; on the 15th day of the first lunar month of each year, folklore says it is the day when he attained enlightenment and became an immortal, with Laojun Terrace (Shengxian Terrace) as the center forming the climax of worship. , to commemorate his ascension to immortality. From the 15th of the first lunar month to the 16th of the second lunar month, people in Luyi held a grand temple fair to express their respect and love for this sage, forming a rich and colorful legend of Laojun, Laozi's iron dance, Laojun opera, Laojun's hymns, Laojun Junquan, Laojun knife, Laojun stick, etc.; in response, a wide variety of commercial products have been produced, such as Laojun twists, Laojun hemp slices, Li Ershi ground sesame oil, Laojun hats, Laojun ma paste and various other products. Laojun Society, Laojun Association, and various specific and vivid folk life contents related to Laozi's rituals, taboos, ancestor worship, etc. What is particularly lively is the second month of the lunar calendar, when 20 provinces and cities around Shanxi, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Anhui, as well as millions of pilgrims and tourists at home and abroad, come to visit the old temple, forming a grand ancient temple fair.

There are many legends about Lao Tzu’s birth and immortality spread among the people and temple fairs. The most well-known local legend is that Lao Tzu’s mother, Li Shi, was a fairy from the sky who descended to earth. Li Shi came to the village with a small basket. While washing clothes by the river, she found a yellow plum. She was hungry and thirsty, so she ate the plum. Unexpectedly, she became pregnant from then on. One day in early spring 81 years later, Li gave birth to Lao Tzu. Then, as a flash of lightning flashed, nine green dragons transformed into a downpour and bathed Lao Tzu for purification. From then on, nine sacred wells were left in the place where he was born. After bathing, the boy had white eyebrows and white hair. He was born with the appearance of a little old man. Li Shi named him "Laozi".

The legend of Laozi’s immortality and immortality is a reflection of people’s admiration and admiration for Laozi. According to legend, Laozi ascended to the northeast corner of the county after Confucius came to ask for his courtesy. One Qi transformed into three pure beings, ascended to the thirty-third heaven, lived in Hentian Dousita Palace, dominated Taoist affairs in the three realms, and became the ancestor of Taoism and the teacher of emperors of all dynasties. Every time there was a catastrophe in his hometown, I came to Luyi to eliminate disasters.

“As soon as the temple fair begins, people from all over the world come to worship, worship the gods, offer incense, and pray for their return home.” This is an activity centered around the Laozi Temple Fair and is the theme of the traditional temple fair. Among them, the witchcraft-like activity of praying for children most typically reflects the core of traditional Chinese culture. This is determined by the nature of China's agricultural society. In feudal society for thousands of years, people's living environment has basically remained unchanged, and the reproduction of future generations has become a top priority for thousands of years. Therefore, praying for children, this ancient form of witchcraft, was displayed in the "Doll Hall" in the harem of the Taiqing Palace of Laozi Temple Fair. The gender of praying for children was tied with a rope, and infinite good wishes were entrusted.

Laozi Temple Fair Sacrifice Activities The most eye-catching one is the Laozi Iron Dance. The Iron Dance originated in the Five Dynasties and the Northern Song Dynasty. It is a product of the working people's peaceful and contented life. It reflects the sacred status of Laozi in people's minds. All the ironworkers in Luyi have a deep respect for Laozi. It is said that this dance was formed when Laozi was making furnaces and forging iron against foreign invaders. Later, the local people created this dance based on the movements of forging iron at that time. After continuous improvement through the ages, it gradually formed a complete folk dance. The main action highlights "beating", and the hands make a slapping action.

"One for iron, two for steel, three for sickles and four for spears; five for making fire, six for sifting charcoal, seven for hammers, eight for arrows; nine for dozen crescent axes, ten for ten for diamonds." What he was singing was an iron-forging song, It vividly expresses the legendary scene of Laozi making furnaces and forging iron to benefit the people and people's admiration. This dance is rough and humorous, funny but not vulgar. In the evening, people light torches in the wilderness and carry out torch-waving activities. Waking a circle represents a year of peace and expresses people's best wishes that the old man can bring peace to their hometown.

In the early days, the Laozi Temple Fair was just a grand sacrificial activity. With the development of the economy and the need for people to communicate, the Laozi Temple Fair gradually integrated into the market trading activities while maintaining the sacrificial activities, and at the same time added Recreational activities. There are traders, traders and mobile vendors in the market. The market is open during the day and does not do night market business. Corresponding to the buying and selling, there are cultural and entertainment performances. The temple fair is planned to include a program performance area, a special snack area, a product display area, a worship supplies area, a small commodity area, a children's toy commodity area, an old school research area, a children's play area, a cutting area, an agricultural commodity area, a local product area, and a poultry area. trading area. Four major operas are sung at the four ends of the temple fair, and there are also unique folk skills such as trotting, shaking colors, flying cars, animal taming, acrobatics, magic, etc.; Folk customs of persuading the world to be righteous; folk art performances such as pan drum, waist drum, dragon dance, lion dance, two immortals walking around, iron dance, sutra carrying, stilts, opera, Qin Shu, pendant calligraphy and other folk art performances have pushed the momentum of the temple fair to one after another. High tide. Local snacks are fragrant, including steamed buns, sesame cakes, chowder soup, spicy soup, meat dumplings, bean foam, pea stuffing, meat buns, bad fish, five-spice chicken, braised chicken, braised pork, duck eggs, twists, fried dough sticks, oil tea, loose Seeds, jelly, cold skin, etc., there are many, with different flavors, which is really tempting.

Announcement of Tianjing Palace (Laozi Temple) Temple Fair in the Jiawu Year In order to inherit Chinese culture, display the folk customs of Woyang, recreate the past style of Daoyuan Holy Land, and contribute to the prosperity, harmony and well-being of Woyang. Tianjing Palace will hold the annual traditional temple fair to commemorate the birthday of Laozi, the Taoist ancestor, from March 11 to March 16, 2014 (the 11th to 16th day of the second lunar month). Tickets are priced at 10 yuan each. Converted disciples of Taoism and seniors over 70 years old are free of charge with their certificates. Tickets are free of charge on the 15th day of the second lunar month (March 15th in the Gregorian calendar), the Taoist ancestor’s birthday. Activities include: praying at Tianjing Palace, paying homage to Taoist ancestors with overseas pilgrims, Dharma assembly at Laojun Palace, consecration, praying to Tai Sui at Yuanchen Palace, making wishes in the prayer pool, ringing the bell to welcome good luck, and predicting misfortunes and fortunes with fortune sticks. Dragon dance, bamboo horse, land boat, stilts and other intangible cultural heritage performances. Commerce, snacks, tourism crafts exhibitions, clothing exhibitions, children's amusement, acrobatics, magic, folk arts, etc. I wish the 2014 Tianjing Palace (Laozi Temple) Temple Fair a complete success. The Laozi Culture Weekend Lecture Hall is hosted by: Woyang Laozi Culture Office, Woyang Laozi Culture and Health Center, Woyang County Cultural Center and Library. Purpose: To respond to the county party committee and county government in building Laozi culture. In response to the call of the famous city, we actively carried out the "Six Advances" activities of Laozi culture to promote and popularize moral classics. After research, we decided to hold a weekend lecture on Laozi culture all year round. Time: 9:00-11:00 every Sunday morning Venue: Multifunctional Hall on the first floor of the Cultural Activity Center of the County Cultural Center Nature: Free for public welfare Target: Laozi culture enthusiasts from all walks of life Content: 1. Series of lectures on "Tao Te Ching" (including The way people deal with things, the way of health cultivation, the way of running a country and the army, the way of creation of heaven and earth, etc.) 2. Tao Te Ching Lecture CD by National Famous Masters 3. Sage Education to Change Destiny CD and Health Preservation Report Speakers: Li Yucheng, Hu Zhi, Jia Ziyin, Chao Chao Liang, Hu Weizhi, Liu Zongming, Niu Jiadong, Wang Zhanjun and other honorary citizens of Woyang County and the famous expert on aging, Mr. Wang Zhenchuan, an impromptu poem, an impromptu poem by Mr. Wang Zhenchuan, an auspicious snowy day in early spring, sweeping away the poisonous haze, quenching thirst in the land of Jianghuai, silver makeup and beauty, Laozhuang's hometown, happy things, happy things to see. Zhuang entered the intangible cultural heritage and heard that Wo Laozi’s open class was quiet and meditative. All things are virtuous and Taoism is flourishing. The natural Qianqiu song is Niu Jiadong, director of Woyang Laozi Cultural Construction Office. The third lecture of Laozi’s open class is Guangming Daily. The third lecture of Laozi’s public class will be on March 26. When it is held in Woyang County, Mr. Chen Lizhu, researcher and director of the Institute of History of the Anhui Academy of Social Sciences, will come to give lectures. Introduction to the Laozi Temple Fair in Woyang County: The Laozi Temple Fair in Woyang County commemorates the great philosophers and thinkers in ancient my country and the founder of the Taoist school. , Laozi, the originator of Taoism. Laozi Temple Fair originated in the Han Dynasty, according to "Book of the Later Han Dynasty." According to "The Records of Emperor Huan", in the eighth year of Yanxi's reign, Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty sent ministers to Laozi Temple to worship Laozi and built Laozi Temple, forming a temple fair centered on worshiping Laozi. Laozi's temple fairs flourished in the Tang Dynasty. In the fifth year of Emperor Wenzong's reign (840), Gengshen decreed that Laozi's birthday (the 15th day of the second lunar month) would be the Advent Day. Since then, believers gathered and the temple fairs took shape over time. From its origin to the present, the Laozi Temple Fair has retained the original ecology of ethnic, folk and folk cultural activities. With its unique content, basic characteristics and inheritance history, it is unique in Chinese temple fair culture. Discover, rescue and protect the Laozi Temple Fair. It plays an important role in expanding the influence of Laozi culture among the people, inheriting Laozi culture, enriching and improving the cultural connotation of Chinese temple fairs, and studying and promoting the cultural inheritance of Chinese temple fairs and the development of traditional Chinese culture.

Take root in the hometown of Lao Tzu and serve the hometown of morality!