Fu, Lu and Shou, Chinese auspicious culture

In feudal society, people of different classes and statuses had different understandings of "luck": for farmers, they had their own Land, sowing in spring and harvesting in autumn, with good weather and abundant food and clothing is a blessing; while common people are faced with harsh government, war or famine all the year round, and being able to have a safe family and survive is a blessing; businessmen often count thousands of taels of gold, and prosperity reaching Sanjiang is a blessing; The "blessings" of literary scholars are different. After ten years of hard work, once they become successful, "being named on the golden list" is the greatest "blessing"; the elderly regard health, longevity, and having children and grandchildren as their greatest "blessings" ". With the development of social civilization and the enrichment of folk culture, the content of blessing has become increasingly rich. Blessings entrust all the beautiful longings of the people. As the main content of auspicious culture, they reflect people's ideals and wishes from multiple angles and levels. The concept of blessing is subtly integrated into various folk activities and god worship.

The ancients’ understanding of happiness was realistic and dialectical. Lao Tzu said: "Misfortune depends on blessings, and misfortunes depend on blessings." This means that one factor often lurks another opposing factor, and both misfortunes and blessings can be transformed. Laozi further elaborated in "Tai Shang Induction Chapter": "There is no way to misfortune and blessing, it can only be summoned by people." He believes that although misfortunes and blessings are difficult to predict, they can be transformed and maintained by human efforts, thereby striving for a happy ending of blessings. .

In auspicious patterns, the basic graphic signs of blessing can be divided into two categories. One category is the gods in folk god worship, such as Tianguan, Samsung and other gods; the other category is those who borrow sounds to explain their meanings. Auspicious symbols and graphics, such as bats, Buddha's hands, moire, etc.

Lu Xing is in charge of the post

Lu Xing Wenchang, Wenchang has six stars, among which Si Lu Xing, Wei Shu "Spring and Autumn Yuan Ming Bao" said "Si Lu rewards meritorious Jinshi", the main literati Fame and fortune.

The origin and transformation of Lu Xing

1. Wenchang Star, the main official Lu

Lu Xing also evolved from a star. It is located in the Big Dipper. Directly in front of the sky is always rising with the Big Dipper. It is recorded in "Historical Records: Tianguan Shu" written by Sima Qian that the six stars directly in front of the Big Dipper are collectively called Wenchang Palace, and the last one is the Luxing in charge of official salary. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Wenchangxing gradually became synonymous with Luxing.

2. Becoming popular with the imperial examination system

After entering the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the rise of the imperial examination system made Lu Xing become popular. The imperial examination gave ordinary people the first opportunity to become officials by studying, thereby changing their own destiny. However, this is a very narrow path. If you want something but don't get it, you will naturally seek help from the gods, so the Luc star in Wenchang Palace looks particularly bright. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Wenchangxing gradually became synonymous with Luxing.

The Qiqushan Wenchang Temple in Zitong County, Mianyang, Sichuan, is the oldest existing Wenchang temple and the ancestral temple of all Wenchang temples in the world. In the Wenchang Temple of Qiqu Mountain, the cast iron statues made in the Song Dynasty weighed 12,000 kilograms each. Perhaps because the statue is too heavy to be damaged, it has survived thousands of years of sword wars and has been preserved to this day. Therefore, we are lucky enough to see the true face of Wenchang Star in Lushan thousands of years ago.

The image of Wen Changxing in the Song Dynasty is that of a court official. Several clerks and valets stood around, which further highlighted his noble and extraordinary status. He was the leader in the temple, won laurels in the toad palace, and various auspicious patterns could be seen everywhere, creating a beautiful mood of being inscribed on the gold list. This is a blessed place for scholars of all ages to make wishes, and Wenchang star is their lucky star.

3. Transformed into a child-giving fairy in the Ming Dynasty

In the Ming Dynasty, Luxing was given a new role - the child-giving fairy. In the opera librettos of the early Ming Dynasty, the lyrics "Lu Xing carries a son down to the mortal world" began to appear. It seems that Lu Xing had already become the god who gave birth to children as early as four to five hundred years ago. The origin of this function of delivering children is somewhat unknown. In the popular folk tales, Lu Xing is called Zhang Xian, a god named Zhang. "Tongjian of Immortals of All Dynasties" records that this Zhang Xian was a Taoist priest named Zhang Yuanxiao during the Five Dynasties period. He practiced Taoism and became an immortal in Qingcheng Mountain, a famous Taoist mountain in Bashu. He was good at slingshot skills and hit the target with perfect accuracy. His targets were the demons and monsters causing trouble in the world. From the Five Dynasties to the Northern Song Dynasty, he was already well-known in the Bashu area.

The literati's notes of the Northern Song Dynasty recorded a fulfilled story of Zhang Xian sending his son. Su Xun recorded in one of his poems "Zhang Xian Praise" that his two sons, Su Dongpo and Su Che, were Zhang Xian. Sent in a dream.

Two brothers, Su Dongpo and Su Che, took part in the imperial examination in the same year. They both became Jinshi in high school in the same examination hall, causing a sensation in both the government and the public. Zhang Xian also became famous.

Lu Xing descended from an ordinary star to the mortal world, evolved into the god of imperial examinations worshiped by scholars, transformed into Zhang Xian who gave birth to children, and finally became an indispensable and brilliant star among the three stars of happiness, wealth and longevity. .