Tianjin Folk Beliefs
天津人的民俗信仰
Tianjin Folk Beliefs
Worship of Nature
In Tianjin, there are customs of worshiping the sun and moon among. According to legend, the first day of the second lunar month is the birthday of the Sun God. People set up altars in their courtyards to worship the Sun God. Offerings include sugar cakes, steamed mung bean jelly, tofu, and a plate of Cabbage hearts adorned with paper-cuttings featuring images of small roosters. There is also a tradition of exchanging sugar cakes among neighbors.
The worshipping of the moon is carried out by women on the 15thday of the eighth lunar month, accompanied by practices such as " moon climbing" and "moon walking."
Tianjin people regard the Thunder God (Leigong) and Lightning Goddess (Dianmu) as a divine couple responsible for bringing rain. They have created the deities "Rain and Lightning Goddess" and "Thunder Ancestor," whose statues are worshipped in the Yuhuangge and Tianhou temples.
The reverence of mountains and stones in Tianjin is rooted in the belief that they possess mysterious and powerful forces capable of warding off evil and disaster. In the old city of Tianjin, at the entrances of lanes and alleys, one can often find stones inscribed with the words "Mount Tai, the Unyielding." It is believed that these stones protect against malevolent influences.
Worship of the Animal Spirits
In Tianjin's old city, residents worship the "Five Great Families" of animal spirits known as the "Fox Fairy" (fox), "Yellow Fairy" (yellow weasel), "White Fairy" (hedgehog), "Willow Fairy" (snake), and "Grey Fairy" (rat). They are commonly referred to as "Fox, Yellow, White, Willow, Grey." These spirits are believed to possess both demonic and divine qualities. Reverence towards them brings blessings, while harming the could result in supernatural retribution. Many households erect "Xianjia Lou" (Fairy House) in their courtyards to honor these spirits with plaques. Due to widespread local devotion, some followers of these beliefs proclaim themselves as "Top Fairies," claiming to heal and protect, akin to modern "apprentices of the Fairy Masters."
3.Worship of Ancestors
People believe that the spirits persists after death, especially the spirits of ancestors, who can protect their descendants and help them turn misfortune into good fortune. Therefore, during major traditional festivals, the first ritual people perform is ancestor worship. Many wealthy families in the old city have their own ancestral halls, where they enshrine the tablets of their ancestors. The rituals of ancestor worship are very grand and solemn. Generally, smaller households perform ancestor worship during the Lunar New Year, Qingming Festival, and the Day of the Dead in October, with the practice serving both to honor their ancestors and to seek their blessings.
4. Worship of Ghosts and Spirits
Ghosts and deities are considered highly mysterious in people’s consciousness, and many choose to believe in their existence. The place where the dead are thought to reside is called the "Underworld" or "Yin Cao Di Fu." The King of Hell (Yanluo Wang), originally a Buddhist deity ruling the underworld, is seen by folk belief as the king of all ghosts.
People regard the City God (Chenghuang) as the protector of the city, and the City God Temple is the administrative office of the underworld. The worship and offerings to the City God, particularly during the City God’s Birthday Temple Fair and Ghost Festival, are most notable. The City God’s Birthday Temple Fair lasts from the first day of the fourth lunar month, marking the City God’s birthday, to the evening of the eighth day, culminating in a grand event with lanterns, stages, continuous opera performances, and a climax with the City God’s procession and the Ghost Festival.
5. Worship of Local Deities
The local deities worshiped by the people are diverse and varied.
Worship of the Heavenly Mother (Mazu)
The veneration of the Heavenly Mother, known as "Old Empress" in Tianjin, is well-recognized, though many locals may not be familiar with the Tianhou Temple. The worship of the Heavenly Mother in Tianjin originates from the city's harbor culture. Tianjin, located at the confluence of three rivers and inhabited by people from various places, finds Mazu worship as a unifying cultural bond with strong inclusiveness. Notably, for Tianjin women place great importance on “binding dolls” They would “steal” a doll from the "Empress's Temple" and ritually "wash” it every year. Overtime, the doll boy would become an esteemed figure like the "Doll Elder" or "Doll Lord,” symbolizing a prosperous Family and continuity of the lineage.
Worship of Door Gods
Door Gods are protective deities believed to ward off evil, safeguard the home, ensure safety, assist in prosperity, and bring good fortune. Traditional Door Gods like Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong are often depicted as mighty and imposing figures pasted on front doors to provide a sense of security. Over time, some civil officials and auspicious Door Gods have also been adopted by people.
Worship of the God of Wealth
The God of Wealth, who governs gold, silver, and treasure, is one of the most revered deities because of his close association with human life. During the Spring Festival, there are customs of inviting and sending off the God of Wealth. Some families purchase an image of the God of Wealth from the market to place in their home’s altar or main room. Vendors also visit homes before the New Year to deliver these images, loudly proclaiming, "The God of Wealth is here." At this time, families typically do not refuse and often give extra money to invite the God of Wealth into their home, hoping for prosperity and good fortune in the coming year.
In folk tradition, the second day of the lunar calendar’s first month is dedicated to honoring the God of Wealth. The 17thday of the ninth lunar month is the God of Wealth’s birthday, and people hold sacrificial ceremonies on this day. The God of Wealth is often worshipped in both civil and military forms, with the worship of Guan Yu being particularly widespread due to his status as a hero. Guan Yu, known for his bravery and loyalty, is deeply revered and seen as a symbol of righteousness. Traditionally, people also believed that Guan Yu serves various functions, including controlling fate, supporting imperial exams, curing diseases, warding off disasters, and attracting wealth. Thus, he is honored as a god of justice, might, and omnipotence.
Worship of Grandma Wang San
Grandma Wang San is another widely revered folk deity. She is believed to have been a kind-hearted woman from the Jingdong region who, during her lifetime, helped people by curing diseases and was regarded as a “living immortal.” At the age of 78, she tragically fell into a ravine while traveling on a donkey to Miaofeng Mountain and died. Locals believe she ascended to immortality, leading to her worship. At the Tianhou Palace, her image is enshrined. Popular belief holds that touching her hands or feet can cure all illnesses.
During the Republic of China era, worship of Grandma Wang San reached its peak. Besides offering incense at Mazu Temple, a large group of pilgrims would visit Miaofeng Mountain. A special roads was built, lined with tea stands to accommodate visitors. Pilgrims would offer tea leaves to her statue, believing them to be imbued with spiritual power. After worshipping, people often bought straw-made fish, horses, or ingots, known as “bringing blessings home.”
天津人的民俗信仰
对自然的崇拜
民间有祭祀太阳和拜月的习俗，传说二月初一是太阳神的生日，人们要在院内设供桌祭祀太阳神，供品除了糖饼、焖子、豆腐外，还要一碟大白菜心，上面有一张小公鸡图案的剪纸。邻里之间有互赠糖饼的习惯。
拜月则是八月十五由妇女们完成的，与之相配的还有“爬月”，以及“走月亮”。
天津人把雷公电母看成一对配偶神，并且把行雨的职能加在了它们身上，并创造出“行雨闪电娘娘”和“雷祖”，玉皇阁和天后宫中都供有它们的神像。
天津人对山、石的崇拜，是认为它们有很神秘的、强大的力量，是能避邪去灾的灵物，在天津老城里民居冲胡同口的房山上经常能看到有“泰山石敢当”字样的石头，人们认为这样就不会受到邪气的侵害。
对仙家崇拜
天津老城居民对动物仙家的崇拜主要体现在对“五大家”的崇拜上，即狐仙(狐狸)、黄仙(黄鼠狼)、白仙(刺猬)、柳仙(蛇)、灰仙(老鼠)，俗称“狐黄白柳灰”，人们认为它们是亦妖亦仙的精灵，倘若敬奉它们，就会受到福佑，倘若损害它们，则会受到妖术的报复，民间多在自家的院落中盖“仙家楼”，供奉五大家的牌位，由于民间供奉五大家的非常普遍，因此经常有一些仙门弟子自称“顶仙”，能为人治病除灾，即为现代的“出马仙弟子”。
对祖先的崇拜
人们相信人死之后有灵魂的存在，尤其是祖先的在天之灵能够庇护后代，使之能逢凶化吉，遇难呈祥。因此在一些重大的民俗节日里，人们首先要做的事情就是祭祖。老城里许多大户人家都建有自己的家祠，其中供奉的就是本家祖先的牌位，祭祖仪式非常隆重而庄严。一般的小户人家则多在过年、清明节及十月一送寒衣等时候祭祀祖先，这种行为一般有缅怀先祖及祈求佑护两层含义。
四、对鬼灵的崇拜
鬼神在人们的意识中是非常神秘的，一些人宁可信其有，人们把人死后所居住的地方称做“阴间”或“阴曹地府”。阎王原本是佛教中主宰地狱的一位冥神，而民间则把其视为众鬼之王。
人们把城隍看成是城市保护神，而城隍庙则成为阴间的衙门，民间对城隍的供奉和膜拜以庆祝城隍诞辰而举行的城隍庙会和鬼会最为著名。城隍庙会从农历四月初一城隍生日起到初八晚间鬼会止，历时8天，届时城隍庙前张灯结彩，搭台造棚，连续7天唱戏不断，而城隍出巡和鬼会则使这一活动达到高潮。
对俗神的崇拜
民间所崇拜的俗神五花八门、多种多样。
天后崇拜，天后在天津人的心中是“老娘娘”，地道的天津人很少知道天后宫的，但一提到“娘娘宫”便众所周知了。天津人对天后的崇拜源自于天津的码头文化，三岔河口，五方杂处，天后信仰是维系天津人民风的纽带，具有着很强的包容性。其中尤其天津结婚妇女都将“栓娃娃”作为一件大事，到“娘娘宫”偷个娃娃，而后每年“洗”一“洗”，娃娃大哥也就逐渐成了娃娃大爷、娃娃太爷,预示家庭烟火旺盛，后继有人。
门神崇拜，门神是具有驱邪、卫家、保平安、助功利、降吉祥等多种功能的保护神，如秦琼、尉迟恭等，他们常被贴于临街大门上，威猛雄壮的样子，给人安全感，后来一些文官门神和祈福门神也多为人们所采用。
财神崇拜，财神是主宰人世间金银财宝的神灵，因为其与人类的生活密切相关，因此成为最受崇拜的偶像之一，春节期间有请财神和送财神的民俗活动，有的家是到街市上请一张财神神神禡儿供于家中佛堂或堂屋内供全神的地方，有一些小贩每逢过年前都要挨家挨户送财神神禡儿，并高声叫到“送财神爷爷来了”。此时，没有一家说“不要”，并且大多要多付一些钱，以讨个“财神”到家，“越过越发”的吉利。
民间在农历正月初二是敬财神的日子。九月十七是财神的诞辰日，此日，人们也要举办酬神祭祀活动。民间所供奉的财神分文、武关帝崇拜，民间的关帝崇拜也非常普遍，这要归结于人们对英雄的崇拜。关羽生前英勇而讲义气，可谓义结千秋，忠贞不二，因此人们敬爱他，将其视为偶像。旧时，民间还普遍相信关帝具有司命禄，佑科举，治病除灾，驱邪避恶，巡查冥司，乃至招财进宝等多种功能，因此人们又将他视为正义之神、威武之神、万能之神，对其顶礼膜拜。
王三奶奶崇拜，民间对王三奶奶的崇拜也非常普遍，相传她是京东人氏，本性慈善，生前能为人了灾治病，被誉为“活神仙”，其78岁那年骑着毛驴到妙峰山进香，不小心跌入山涧摔死了，人们说她是“成仙飞升”，因此对其加以供奉。天后宫内供有王三奶奶的像，民间有这样的说法:“摸摸王三奶奶的手，百病全没有;摸摸王三奶奶的脚，百病全都消”。民国时期对王三奶奶的崇拜两种，文财神是比干和范蠡，而武财神则是赵公明。达到鼎盛，除了去天后宫进香以外，主要是成群结队去妙峰山朝拜王三奶奶，妙峰山还特意为天津香客开辟了一条专用道路，沿途都是天津的一些商号设置的茶棚和销售点，为香客提供免费的茶点，香客们多带有茶叶，到王三奶奶像前供一下，称为“灿茶叶”，这样的茶叶据说带有灵气，能治百病。人们朝拜完王三奶奶，大都要买—些麦秸编的鱼、马、福或—串聚福元宝，叫做“带福还家”。
