Hangzhou Canal Legacy

Author: Wang Guoping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: The "Inviting the God of Wealth" tradition in Xiyuan dates back to the Qing Dynasty. Xiyuan has been a densely populated area since then. In Hangzhou, a local resident named Liang Yuan believed that the Xiyuan located in Xintang was the legitimate Liang Yuan. Xiyuan was home to many families with different surnames, such as the Fangs, Jins, Hees, and Yangs. Due to the numerous ponds in the area, many were named after the families living nearby, such as Fang Family Pond. Besides a few farmers, some wealthy families also resided in Xiyuan. Influenced by this living environment, several local bullies emerged. They often used the "Inviting the God of Wealth" method to extort money, oppress the people, and commit numerous misdeeds. "Inviting" referred to kidnapping, while the "God of Wealth" was the person being kidnapped. Generally, after "inviting" the "God of Wealth," the kidnappers would first hide them in a corner to torture and abuse them before demanding ransom from their families. The kidnappers were also very cunning; they would adjust the ransom based on the victim's family's economic status.
Gao Tang Folklore · The Death Festival According to an elderly resident from Gao Tang in Jianggan District, in the past, the residents of Gao Tang celebrated several festivals, including the Dragon Boat Festival in the fifth lunar month, the Mid-Autumn Festival in the eighth lunar month, and the Winter Solstice in the twelfth lunar month. The most important festival, however, was the "Death Festival" in July, also known as the Ghost Festival or the Middle Autumn Festival, commemorating ancestors or deceased family members. During this festival, residents in the area would burn incense at home to honor their deceased relatives or ancestors. When offering sacrifices, they would place small dishes of food on the table. The number and arrangement of dishes followed certain rules, usually three meats and three vegetables, with candles and incense lit on the table. When bowing to their ancestors, no ancestral tablets were placed on the table, but they would burn paper money and yellow paper and light incense while kneeling. The kneeling ritual typically began with standing bows, followed by kneeling bows. While kneeling, they would silently recite the names of their ancestors or deceased parents, siblings, and sisters, inviting them to eat the food on the table. They would also say prayers for the ancestors' protection and blessings.
Gao Tang Customs · The Procession of the Bodhisattva Mang Jiang In the past, due to low productivity, farmers would pray to local land deities for blessings whenever disasters struck. Their greatest concerns were droughts and insect plagues. In such cases, the people would sacrifice pigs and sheep to the Dragon King and the Bodhisattva Mang Jiang. Some would even carry the deities in processions, banging drums and gongs, and go around the nearby villages—a practice called "invoking the spirits." According to the wife of an elderly man named Jin Chengfang, the area around Gao Tang often suffered from insect plagues, especially locust plagues. It was said that the 36 local communities nearby were under the jurisdiction of the Bodhisattva Mang Jiang, making her the local land deity. Therefore, whenever an insect plague occurred, the people of the area would parade the Bodhisattva Mang Jiang from the Xin Temple. During the procession, a red cloth would first be draped over the Bodhisattva, who was then carried by four people at the front of the parade. Two people followed, one beating a bronze drum and the other striking a large drum. Those carrying the deity and those beating the drums wore yellow robes and yellow cloth shoes, dressed like monks, similar to the attire worn during the current Bodhisattva procession at Wu Shan Square. Villagers from several nearby villages would follow the parade. Their attire had no special requirements—plain clothes were worn.