Wang Ye worship
Encyclopedia
Wang Ye worship is a primarily Taiwan
ese folk religion, frequently considered an aspect of the Taoist
belief system.
The customary belief is that Wang Ye, or Wang Yeh (王爺 wángyé: "royal lord"), are divine emissaries who tour the world of the living on behalf of the celestial realm, expelling disease and evil from those who worship them. A temple that houses a Wang Ye is generally called 代天府 (daitian fu: "palace representing heaven"), and the Wang Ye's visit is known as 代天巡狩 (dai tian xunshou: "hunting tour on behalf of heaven"), the object of the "hunting" being disease and bad luck. Such "hunting tours" take place on a regular cycle of a set number of years, usually three years.
The first category of Wang Ye began as pestilence-spreading spirits, the vengeful ghosts of promising young scholars who met violent and untimely deaths. To stop disease, people would pray and make offerings to these beings. As time passed, these Wang Ye gradually became disease-dispelling gods and bringers of good fortune.
The second category comprises heroes who attained godhood as a result of great acts in their lives. An example is the spirit of Koxinga
, thus honored for his role in fighting the Qing forces.
One of the primary Wang Ye festivals in Taiwan takes place in the city of Donggang, Pingtung County
, once every three years. The 2009 festival began on October 10 and culminated in the early morning of October 17, when a wooden boat was set on fire on the beach.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese folk religion, frequently considered an aspect of the Taoist
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
belief system.
The customary belief is that Wang Ye, or Wang Yeh (王爺 wángyé: "royal lord"), are divine emissaries who tour the world of the living on behalf of the celestial realm, expelling disease and evil from those who worship them. A temple that houses a Wang Ye is generally called 代天府 (daitian fu: "palace representing heaven"), and the Wang Ye's visit is known as 代天巡狩 (dai tian xunshou: "hunting tour on behalf of heaven"), the object of the "hunting" being disease and bad luck. Such "hunting tours" take place on a regular cycle of a set number of years, usually three years.
Origins of Wang Ye worship
Wang Ye worship stems from belief in two main categories of supernatural beings, both kinds the spirits of what were once, according to legend, real human beings.The first category of Wang Ye began as pestilence-spreading spirits, the vengeful ghosts of promising young scholars who met violent and untimely deaths. To stop disease, people would pray and make offerings to these beings. As time passed, these Wang Ye gradually became disease-dispelling gods and bringers of good fortune.
The second category comprises heroes who attained godhood as a result of great acts in their lives. An example is the spirit of Koxinga
Koxinga
Koxinga is the customary Western spelling of the popular appellation of Zheng Chenggong , a military leader who was born in 1624 in Hirado, Japan to Zheng Zhilong, a Chinese merchant/pirate, and his Japanese wife and died in 1662 on the island of Formosa .A Ming loyalist and the arch commander of...
, thus honored for his role in fighting the Qing forces.
The Wang Ye
There are many Wang Ye: some traditions claim there are a total of 360, with 132 surnames among them.Wang Ye festivals
Wang Ye festivals take place in various parts of Taiwan, mostly in the south. They generally involve processions of gods to ward away disease and bring good fortune, and end with the burning or launch of a replica boat.One of the primary Wang Ye festivals in Taiwan takes place in the city of Donggang, Pingtung County
Pingtung County
Pingtung County is a county in Southern Taiwan. Pingtung County is officially administered as a county of the Republic of China . The oldest national park in Taiwan, Kenting National Park, was established in Pingtung County in 1984...
, once every three years. The 2009 festival began on October 10 and culminated in the early morning of October 17, when a wooden boat was set on fire on the beach.