主編:詹石窗
出版:香港蓬瀛仙館
ISSN 1728-7642

Daoism Studies ›› 2021, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (2): 34-48.

• HEAVEN COLUMN: DAOIST THOUGHT AND SOCIETY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Identification of Sacred Identity:Interpretation of the Political Background of the Legend of "Guan Yu Fight Against Chi You"

Song Feng   

  • Online:2021-12-10 Published:2021-12-27
  • About author:Song Feng, PhD Candidate, Sichuan University, Institute of Daoism and Religious Culture; Research Directions: Daoist Art, Daoist Scripture, Daoist Pantheon; Address: Institute of Daoism and Religious Culture, Sichuan University, Room 157, No. 24, Yihuan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Postcode: 610064; Email: peaksoon@163.com.

Abstract: Song Zhenzong declared the ancestor of the imperial family of the Song Dynasty to be the emperor through "divine man descending", and declined under the orders of the Jade Emperor in the later Tang Dynasty, creating a "divine identity"with strong obedience. In order to strengthen the legitimacy of their own divine identity and political power, and to provide a reasonable solution for the property of lake salt of Jiezhou, the imperial family of the Song Dynasty reformed the legend of "Zhuolu zhizhan"(涿鹿之戰), which led to the story of "Guanyu Fight against Chiyou"(關羽戰蚩尤). Through story, the rulers of the Song Dynasty explained the legitimacy of their occupation for the lake salt of Jiezhou, and at the same time further enhanced the identity of the people at all levels of the society towards the divine status of the imperial family of the Song Dynasty.

Key words: Guan Yu Fought against Chi You, The battle of Zhuolu, Divine man descending, Song Zhenzong, Jade emperor worship