The Myth and Rituals towards Floods or Droughts during the Qin-Han Period

• Main Authors: Chih-Yang Huang, 黃智暘
• Other Authors: 陳器文
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/77865800699056529159

碩士 === 國立中興大學 === 中國文學系所 === 105 === China has been an agriculture-based country with various correlated religious rituals. Anthropologists such as Frazer (1854-1941) and Harrison (1850-1928) emphasize that a myth is a narrative description of a corresponding ritualwith explanatory purposes. The connection between rituals and witchcraft can be discussed through mythology. Furthermore, using contrast and analogy via the understanding of modern human psychology makes it possible todiscover fundamental human cognitive and psychological needs. This study tried to explore the popular mind toward rituals of dispelling calamities and the cultural function of religious rituals through He Bo’s and Han Ba’s myths based on two common disasters in remote ages — flood and drought. He Bo’s myth originates from a witchcraft ritual—human bodies were thrown into rivers to repel floods. The myth of Yellow Emperor’s daughter was actually from another witchcraft ritual to get rid of droughts by expelling Han Ba. The ritual of drowning young women as sacrifices to become He Bo’s wives obviouslycorresponds to the scapegoat theory of public witchcraft suggested by anthropologists. As time passed by,ithad turned into one of the wedding customs for getting rid of bad luck. Han Ba’s myth, however, has a more complicated cultural meaning. The prototype of Han Ba is a scapegoat as well, from a daughter of Yellow Emperor, a bald deformed baby, a beast-shaped creature, to a female ghost and a zombie, proving that witchcraft has enormous religious influence. Both of the myths include people praying for forgiveness through sacrifices to dispel calamities, the magical thinking of offering up sacrifices to please the gods, and the transformation of public witchcraft and holy space that triggers collective catharsis. These two myths have had profound effects on folk customs and folk tales. By tracing back to the origins, we get to know not only the connections and interactions among folklore, folk myths and rituals but the depth and profundity of culture and literature.