| White-Horse Vanguard
The White-Horse Vanguard was burned to "open a way " for god ascending
to heaven or invite heavenly immortals to descend to this world during
the sacrificials
ceremony. Also, after a child had a shock and wasn't sleeping well,
such a print would be burned in order to "recover the child's lost soul." The print is well executed with the image of a venerable old man on a
galloping white horse. It is a traditional figure woodblock print with
simple lines and fine cuts. |
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God of Farmland--Shen Nong or Tian Zu
Legend has it that the god Shen Nong, surnamed Jiang, was an emperor in
remote antiquity. He was also said to have taught the primitives how to
make farming tools and grow crops, thus helping them evolve to an
agricultural society from a fishing and hunting economy. He was believed
to have tasted all the local herbs and become expert in the properties
of herbal medicines. He taught people how to cure their diseases and
collected his prescriptions in a book called the Materia Medica of Shen
Nong. In addition, he advocated setting up regular markets on a barter
basis. Later, he became the emperor Yan and reigned for 140 years.
Other farmers worshipped Tian Zu ,also called Hou Ji, as the God of
Farmland. He was supposedly a high official in charge of agriculture
during the reigns of the emperors Yao and Shun in remote antiquity. He
also taught people how to grow crops. Later generations considered both
Shen Nong and Tian Zu the founders of agriculture. |
