| 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. |