Zhongzhou culture, ethnic beliefs and religions in Zhongzhou, Zhongzhou is the birthplace of Taoist culture and a paradise for Taoism.

Zhongzhou culture, ethnic beliefs and religions in Zhongzhou, Zhongzhou is the birthplace of Taoist culture and a paradise for Taoism.

(1) The birthplace of Taoist culture-the hometown of Lao and Zhuang is in Henan. Henan is the birthplace of Taoist culture, and the hometown of Laozi and Zhuangzi, the founder of Taoism, is in Henan. Historical Records Biography of Laozi said: "Laozi was born in Qurenli, Li Xiang, Chuku County. His surname is Li, his first name. " Ji Jie quoted Geography as saying: "Ku County belongs to the State of Chen." It is correct that the bitter county belongs to Chen. The "Chu Ku County" recorded by Tai Shigong was written according to the geographical concept of the Western Han people, just as he recorded "East Chu", "West Chu" and "South Chu" in Huo Zhi Biography. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Chen was once destroyed by Chu, and then returned to China, still an independent vassal state. I should be from Guxian County, Chen Guo. Chen area is in Huaiyang County, Henan Province today. Chen's county was merged after the Yuan Dynasty, so Laozi was from Henan. Laozi's hometown was called Xiang in the Spring and Autumn Period and Ku County in the Han and Jin Dynasties. From the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty, Guxian County was renamed Guyang. In the Tang Dynasty, Guyang was renamed Zhenyuan and Yuan Xian. In the Song Dynasty, Zhenyuan was renamed Weizhen, adjacent to Luyi County. At the beginning of Yuan Dynasty, there were few households in Weizhen, which was merged into Lu Yi. Now there is Laozi Temple in the east of Luyi County, also known as Taiqing Palace. Three palaces, Purple Pole, Guangling and Taiqing Palace, have been built in the past dynasties to worship Laozi. The Purple Pole Palace was destroyed by Han Liner at the end of Yuan Dynasty, and there was a stone statue of Laozi in it. The "Lu Yi County Records" compiled during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty said: "Taiqing Palace, ten miles east of the county seat, is the place where Laozi was born."

Zhuangzi, another founder of Taoism with the same fame as Lao Zi, is also from Henan. "Historical Records, Lao Tzu's Biography of Han Fei" said: "Zhuangzi is a Mongolian, whose name is Zhou. Zhou Chang was an official of the lacquer garden, contemporary with Liang. Does he learn everything? But it should be attributed to Laozi's words. " "Historical Records" quoted "Historical Records" as saying: "Meng County belongs to Liang State". Liu Xiang said to Bielu: "Song Yiyu also." Justice also quoted Guo's Narrator as saying: "Meng County is also the hometown of Zhuang Zhou." Where is Meng? "Meng" in "The Story of Country Names" said: "Meng, Zeye, born in Zhuangzi, once worked as an official in the lacquer garden, and now he has entered the city." "Notes on Water Classics" also said: "Zhuangzi was born in Mongolia and also took an examination of city people." 1954, Kaocheng and Lanfeng counties merged into lankao county. 1956, Shunhe, Laoyanji, Beiguan, Chumiao and other townships in the southeast of Kaocheng were classified as civil rights counties, while Mengzheng was located in the southeast of Kaocheng and was classified as civil rights counties with Shunhe and other townships. So Zhuang Zhou's hometown is in qinglian temple Village, Shunhe Township, Minquan County, Henan Province. There are Zhuangzhou Hutong and Zhuangzi Well in qinglian temple Village. The well is tens of feet deep, the borehole wall is rock-solid and light as black jade, and the well water is clear and sweet. Legend has it that this is the place where Zhuang Zhou's alchemy draws water. There is an ancient tomb in Tangzhuang Village, Li Nan, Zhuang Zhou's hometown. There is a monument in front of the tomb, and the inscription says, "Zhuangzhou Tomb" was built by the Yi people in the fifty-fourth year of Qianlong. In a word, Zhuangzi, like Lao Zi, is from Henan.

Laozi and Zhuangzi were famous philosophers and thinkers in the pre-Qin period in China, and the founders of Taoism. In the early Western Han Dynasty, Huang Lao thought was the ruling thought of the Han Dynasty, from which Huang Lao Taoism came. Later, Lao Tzu was also honored as the founder of Taoism-Mr. Taishan. The emperor of the Tang Dynasty, surnamed Li, married Lao Zi, who was honored as a sage of Xuanyuan. Song Zhenzong advocated Taoism, made a pilgrimage to Luyi County, and changed Luyi County to Guizhen County.

Both Lao Zi and Zhuangzi advocated the social ideal of a small country with few people, resolutely opposed war and etiquette, and demanded equality between the rich and the poor and equality for all. Laozi and Zhuangzi's social ideal of equality has great influence among the people. Since the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, when Zhang Ling and Zhang Lu launched peasant uprisings with "Five Mi Dou Knives" and Zhang Jiao with "Taiping Knives", peasant wars in past dynasties often used the banner of "upholding justice and doing justice for heaven" and called on the people to resist with Taoism. Taoist equality thought represents the interests of the lower working people to a great extent.

Taoism has a great influence and a wide range in the history of China, second only to Confucianism. Whenever a great war has just ended, the ruling class always takes the "inaction" policy of Huang Lao's thought as a national policy to let people's livelihood recuperate. For example, after the fierce merger war in the Warring States period, the peasant war in the late Qin Dynasty and the Chu-Han War, the people were extremely poor. In order to resume production, the rulers of the early Western Han Dynasty adopted the technique of Huang Lao to rule. For example, the rulers of the Tang Dynasty after the Northern and Southern Dynasties and the rulers of the Northern Song Dynasty after the Five Dynasties War all ruled the country with Huang Lao's thoughts.

(2) Taoism in Henan is a paradise. Taoism is a religion born and bred in China, which is a combination of immortal magic and Taoist thought, with Tao Te Ching and Taiping Ching as the main classics. Its ideal is to cultivate immortality. They choose the famous mountain with beautiful scenery as the place of practice, which is called the land of cave. According to the records in Daozang, Taoism has ten caves, thirty-six caves and seventy-two blessed places. Today, King Wu, Songshan, Tongbai and Beimang are the main Taoist caves in Henan.

Wuwangshan Taoist Training Ground, located 45 kilometers northwest of Jiyuan County, Henan Province, is the first of the "Top Ten Grottoes". It is said that it is a place where gods are sent by heaven to rule. The main peak, the Temple of Heaven, is more than 0/700 meters above sea level/kloc-,and there is an altar where Emperor Xuanyuan prayed for heaven and rain. There is a mountain peak in the north of Tiantan Mountain, and there is a natural cave on the mountainside of Lingshan Mountain, which is called "Wuwang Mountain". The cave is tall and spacious, with a hole in it, light on all sides and seven holes. Legend has it that this cave is connected with Tianmu Cave. The balcony palace was built in the Ming Dynasty, and it is also a Taoist temple. The existing buildings include Sanqing Hall and Huangyuting. Five kilometers away from the second balcony of the Palace, there is Ying 'en Palace, which was built by Taoist priests in Wei Zi Palace in the early Tang Dynasty to welcome the emperor. There are many Taoist relics in Lingshan, such as Xuanyuan Temple, Xuhuang Temple, Zhenjun Temple, Baxiantai, Baxian Temple, Tianmen, North and South Tianmen and so on. According to legend, Sima Cheng Town, Princess Yu Zhen, Sun Simiao, Lv Dongbin, Helanqi Town, Qiu Chuji of Jin Dynasty, Ma Danyang, Hao Datong and Liu Chuxuan all practiced here.

Songshan Taoist training ground, located in the northwest of Dengfeng County, Henan Province, is the sixth of the "thirty-six caves" of Taoism. "Seven Signs of Yun Qi" says: "Thirty-six caves are among the famous mountains, ... Songshan Cave, the sixth Zhongyue, is 3,000 miles long and is called Sima Dongtian." Kou, a famous Taoist priest in the Northern Wei Dynasty, became a monk in Lushan Mountain for seven years and founded the Northern Road, which is opposite to the Southern Road of Lu, a Taoist priest in Lushan Mountain. Pan, a Taoist priest in the Tang Dynasty, has been a monk for more than twenty years.

Tongbai Mountain Taoist Training Ground, located at15km southwest of Tongbai County, Henan Province, is the 44th place in the "72 blessed places" of Taoism. Tongbai Mountain, called Tuoba Mountain in ancient times, has Yunv Mountain, Wolong Peak, Cuiwei Peak and Lianhua Peak, where Huai River originated. According to legend, Sean used to practice medicine here in the Western Han Dynasty.

North Mangshan Taoist training ground, located five kilometers north of Luoyang, is the seventieth place in the "72 blessed lands" of Taoism. According to legend, Lao Tzu was an alchemist in this mountain.

(3) Taoist temple and Zhongyue temple. Taoist temple is a place where Taoist priests support their ancestors, practice and preach. There are four or five hundred Taoist temples in Henan. The famous ones are Taiqing Palace in Lu Yi, Shangqing Palace in Luoyang, Balcony Palace in Jiyuan, Xuanmiao Temple in Nanyang and Yanqing Temple in Kaifeng. In addition, temples offering sacrifices to mountains and rivers such as Zhongyue Temple in Dengfeng, Jidu Temple in Jiyuan and Huaidu Temple in Tongbai are also Taoist temples. These Taoist temples are the oldest and most famous among Zhongyue Temple in Songshan. Songshan was called Zhongyue in ancient times. It consists of Taishi Mountain and Shao Shi Mountain, located in the north of Dengfeng County. In the pre-Qin period, a shrine was built on Songshan Mountain to offer sacrifices. "Shan Hai Jing Zhongshan Jing" says: "Small rooms and ancestral halls are prison equipment, and babies are lucky." Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty once climbed Songshan Mountain, built an ancestral temple in Taishi and built the Long Live Palace. Emperor Andi of the Eastern Han Dynasty built a stone pavilion in front of Taishi Temple. In the Northern Wei Dynasty, Taishi Temple was called "Tianwang Temple in the Song Dynasty", and the temple dedicated to Taishi Mountain was changed to Taoist temple and moved to the top of the mountain. In the Tang Dynasty, Wu Zetian climbed Songshan Mountain and renamed Zhongyue as Shen Yue. The county where Songshan Mountain is located is called Dengfeng County, the king in the sky is called "Yellow Emperor in the sky" and the princess in the sky is called "Yellow Queen in the sky". During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty, Zhongyue Temple moved to the foot of the mountain. In the Northern Song Dynasty, "Shen Yue" was changed to "Zhongyue".

At present, the Zhongyue Temple is 650m long from north to south and166m wide from east to west, with a total area of100000 square meters. 500 meters south of Zhongyue Temple, there is a palace built in Han Dynasty. In Songshan Mountain, among the three major tombs of Han Dynasty (Taishi Pavilion, Shao Shi Quemen and Qimu Pagoda), Taishi Pavilion is the highest, oldest and most well-preserved. The gate of Zhongyue Temple is also called Tianzhongge. There is a town square with heaven in Tianzhongge, which is named after Yue God is the earth god and the earth matches the sky. There is also a small pavilion called Dong Chaoting. After Tianzhong Pavilion, Chongshengmen and Huamen, you can see four earth terraces. The original temples on the earthen platform symbolize Dongyue Hall, Nanyue Hall, Xiyue Hall and Beiyue Hall respectively, which are called Siyue Hall. Four Yue plus Zhong Yue means five Yue, which means "all five elements". The temple-platform system of Siyue is unique among Wuyue. The platform of April Temple faces north and passes through the Jijunmen Gate, which is the Zhongyue Hall, the main hall of Zhongyue Hall, where statues of kings in the sky are enshrined. Behind the main hall is the sleeping hall where Emperor Tiandi and his spouse Tian rest. There is a clay statue of the heavenly king sleeping in it, and a princess in heaven sitting beside the couch in casual clothes. People call it "sleeping with grandpa and sitting with grandma". There are more than 200 ancient cypresses planted in Zhongyue Temple from Han Dynasty to Qing Dynasty, which is the best preserved temple with the largest number of ancient cypresses among the five mountains in China. There are Shenzhou Palace, Xiao Lou Palace, Qianlong Palace, Zushi Palace and Vulcan Palace near Zhongyue Hall.

Zhongyue Temple is a Taoist temple dominated by mountains. Now it has a history of more than 2000 years. Now it is a national key cultural relics protection unit.

(4) Taoist temple fairs. Temple fair, also known as temple fair. Small temple fairs in Henan gradually disappeared, leaving only a few big temple fairs.

Huaiyang Taihaoling Temple Fair is located four kilometers north of Huaiyang County. According to legend, Huaiyang is the "city of Tai Hao". Tai Hao was the leader of Dongyi tribe in primitive society and was buried here after his death. Meanwhile, Huaiyang is considered as the capital of Fu, who is one of the legendary "Huang San" in China. The significance of Huaiyang Temple Fair is to offer sacrifices to the ancestor Fu, and it is held around Taihao Mausoleum. Every year from the second day of February to the third day of March in the lunar calendar, lasting for one month. When the temple fair began, there is no way to verify it. Every year during the temple fair, some people automatically unite. Dozens of people get married for a period of time, pushing one person as the head of the meeting, and the rest are called Zhai Gong, and then they go to the meeting with offerings and incense. According to tradition, people who enter the incense want to buy a clay doll named "Clay Dog", whose style is Gu Zhuo, which reflects the situation of human reproduction. There are also activities such as singing operas, playing dragon lanterns, walking on stilts and boating at the temple fair, which is very lively. Taihaoling Temple Fair occupies a large area. People from Cao County, Shandong County, Jiangsu Province, Jieshou, Linquan and Taihe in Anhui Province, Xinyang, Luoyang and Kaifeng in Henan Province all came here to attend temple fairs and carry out agricultural trade. In recent years, experts and scholars in literature, history and art from Beijing and other places have come here to collect folk songs.

Qiufushan Temple Fair is located in Qiu Fu, one kilometer southeast of Xun County. There are many Buddhist and Taoist buildings here. There are two temple fairs in Qiu Fu every year. Every year from the first day to the thirtieth day of the first lunar month, it is called the first month temple fair; July 15th to 30th is called July Temple Fair. The temple fair in the first month began in the eighth year of Wanli in Ming Dynasty (1580), and the temple fair in July began in the fifty years of Qianlong in Qing Dynasty (1785). Every year at the temple fair, pilgrims come from all directions to make a pilgrimage to the Bishop Palace in Qiu Fu. Everyone wears a red rope on his chest, holds jujube buns and burns incense offerings. They tied red ropes to big trees and rocky mountains, praying for blessing and eliminating disasters. Taoist priests marched in procession to perform flying cymbals. In addition, there are dragon lanterns, dry boats and other activities, as well as folk trade. The temple fair in Qiufushan is also very large, with a maximum of 300,000 people and a minimum of100,000 people.

Dengfeng Zhongyue Temple Fair Dengfeng Zhongyue Temple Fair began before the Song Dynasty and was held in March and October every year for ten days. During the temple fair, pilgrims make pilgrimages and pray, and Taoist priests do Dojo. (See annals of Henan Province and religious annals. )