“Grandfather of the Soil” and “Grandmother of the Soil”. These are the common names of local deities. Here before us stands \u571f\u5730\u4f2f\u516c. It represents a deeply rooted tradition. This tradition honors the earth and its bounty.
\u571f\u5730\u4f2f\u516c embodies the concept of local deities. These deities have been venerated in China since prehistoric times. The earliest known local deity was Gou Long. He tamed the floods during the reign of Emperor Zhuan Xu. Zhuan Xu appointed Gou Long as the god of the soil.
Heaven was seen as the male protector. The Earth was venerated as the source of food. The Earth deity was called Hou Tu or Lord/Goddess of the Earth. The Han dynasty ordered the building of official altars in each district. People made offerings to the deities twice a year. These offerings occurred in the third and twelfth months. Local deities protected communities. They were also administrative units. The soil deity was called shegong or tudi.
The Tang dynasty called the two altars in the capital the imperial altar of the soil and the imperial altar of grain. The Ming dynasty replaced these with an ancestral altar. Local deities were worshipped across different regions. Some institutions also had their own local deities.
People believed spirits lived in unique natural spots. These spots included mountains, forests, rivers, and swamps. A peasant community’s fate depended on the soil’s fertility. It also depended on the conditions of wells and fords. Changes in soil quality or dry wells were seen as expressions of the local deity’s will. People could offend natural spirits. These spirits would then penalize the evildoers. Natural deities could reward communities. This reward was given when people acted in accordance with the deity’s wishes. People communicated with deities through prayers and offerings.
The birthday of local deities was celebrated on the second day of the second lunar month. The word she originally meant altar. It evolved to represent the community itself. This is reflected in the word shehui or society. Each community owned a shrine to venerate the local deities.
Local deities are often venerated as a couple. The male deity is called tudi gonggong. The female deity is called tudi popo. Their relation to soil fertility is seen in the names tiangong and tianpo. The worship of couples may have appeared during the Southern Song period. During the Ming period, a prefect created a female figure for the local deity’s shrine.
Local deities are distinct from city gods. Local deities are more popular. People feel they are closer to them. City gods protect against enemies and observe the local population. Here at \u571f\u5730\u4f2f\u516c remember the long history. Think about the connection between people and the earth. Consider the importance of community and veneration.