History of World Customs

Author: Ma Daozong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Customs are naturally formed in the process of human production and life, reflecting the different understandings of the world and unique interpretations of life by various ethnic groups in different historical periods. Among the diverse customs of different ethnic groups around the world, they embody certain genuine emotions and beautiful aspirations of humanity. This book, richly illustrated, is an excellent read for understanding world folklore. To some extent, the history of world customs is also the history of human life, as customs encompass such a wide range of aspects that nearly all aspects of human life are included. The customs of each era vividly reflect the spirit of that time, while the customs of each ethnic group truly mirror the essence of that people. For this reason, the history of customs at each stage of cultural development is a major part of human history. The literature on customs for each country and ethnic group is extremely rich. This book is not only an encyclopedic work on world customs and history but also an artistic collection in the style of a human folklore museum. Through the of detailed historical records, clear perspectives, and vivid writing, the author comprehensively presents human customs and history to the readers. Over 200 exquisite illustrations, covering various art forms such as paintings, photography, and sculptures, are included, many of which come from private collections, greatly enhancing the reading value, collectible value, aesthetic value, and gifting value of the book.
During celebrations, geishas held a higher social status than courtesans in brothels, as evidenced by their high fees. Their knowledge level and physical beauty were also admired and revered, a topic people were always eager to discuss. The worship ceremonies of the goddess Aphrodite were often funded by geishas. Greek literature frequently mentions that the residents of Corinth were known for their. Lysias wrote: "The life of this ancient trading city was lively and unrestrained, with people being very wealthy and naturally fond of pleasure. This is not an exaggeration." Aeschines wrote: "When the citizens of the city formed long queues to pray to the goddess Aphrodite, many geishas were attracted, and they also prayed to the goddess and offered sacrifices." In some places, such as Corinth, Abydos, and Cyprus, prostitution took place in temples. The girls who won as gifts at the Olympic Games were brought to these temples. Strabo described the Temple of Aphrodite Porne in Corinth as follows: "The temple of Aphrodite was extremely magnificent, capable of seating over a thousand geishas, who were dedicated to the goddess. Girls from other places kept coming there, and the city thus became very prosperous." Lucian described the situation at the temple of Byblos: "I also saw a large temple of Aphrodite in Byblos and gradually realized that revelry and excessive drinking were very common there. Adonis was killed by a boar in our land, so every year when we commemorate him, the entire nation is deeply saddened. After doing this, they held a funeral for Adonis. The next day, they dressed Adonis as if he had been resurrected and lifted him high into the air. They shaved their own hair into the style used by Egyptians to mourn Apis. Any woman who had her hair cut would be severely punished. On a specific day, they had to sell their bodies in the market, while only foreigners were allowed to go to this market. Soon, these women were sent to the temple of Aphrodite."
Sexual behavior was regarded as a form of punishment, which was highly inconsistent with the tranquil life of the Greeks. The nature of sex was considered a mysterious gift from nature or the gods, bringing one into a realm of mystical contact with the divine. Sexual desire should be satisfied, and sacrifices must be offered to the goddess as a token of gratitude. If this idea was taken to an extreme and became a powerful social force, it could develop in the opposite direction, which would be very dangerous. We can find a similar phenomenon among the Babylonians. The Babylonian Aphrodite was called Mirta. According to their laws, every woman had to visit the temple of Mirta once in her lifetime and offer her body to any foreigner she saw. Herodotus wrote: "Many women wanted to display their wealth and were eager to escape from a humble status. They sat in sealed carriages, with many maids following behind. The carriages drove into the temple."