The Folk Custom of Pilgrimage to Mount Wudang in the New Era
Against the backdrop of reform and opening-up,Mount Wudang has successively resumed religious activities in its temples and traditional temple fairs,leading to a gradual increase in the popularity of folk pilgrimages.Factors such as the improvement of the scenic environment,the acquisition of significant honors,the hosting of major events,substantial improvements in transportation,and the cumulative effect of online promotion in the internet era have all contributed to the further growth in the number of pilgrims.In addition to major temple fairs such as the Zhenwu pilgrimage during the Spring Festival,March 3rd,and September 9th,traditional festivals like the Lantern Festival(January 15th),Dragon Head Raising Day(February 2nd),as well as lunar calendar dates such as the 30th and 1st of each month and the 15th,are also popular for pilgrimages.The birthdays and enlightenment days of other deities reflect the diversity of folk beliefs.Pilgrim associations in Hubei and Henan have rapidly expanded in scale,though their organizational structure is far less cohesive compared to the Ming and Qing periods,and rituals have been significantly simplified,giving rise to new forms of folk customs.By contrast,pilgrimage activities in southeastern regions,represented by Fujian and Taiwan,are more standardized and performative,adhering closely to Daoist temple traditions.
万方数据
