Each to his own ability:Looking at social changes and moral economy from the revitalization of the Houxi Xiacheng Chenghuang Temple, Xiamen, Mainland of China

Title

Each to his own ability:Looking at social changes and moral economy from the revitalization of the Houxi Xiacheng Chenghuang Temple, Xiamen, Mainland of China

Author

Rivers LEE

Page

161-188

DOI

10.6163/TJEAS.202312_20(2).0005

Abstract

After the 1970s, cross-Strait relations have eased, and people-to-people exchanges have gradually become more intense, which can be reflected in cultural and religious exchanges. Because branch temples in Taiwan hope to establish a network of religious exchanges with ancestral temples in mainland of China, "religious root seeking"(zongjiao xungen) has become a common social phenomenon. This study takes the Houxi Xiacheng Chenghuang Temple as the research object. It is located in Houxi Town, Jimei District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province, mainland of China. The Taipei Xiahai Chenghuang Temple is the branch temple of the Houxi Xiacheng Chenghuang temple. The Xiahai Chenghuang Temple originated from the moral sense of “gratitude for the source of benefit”(yinshui siyuan), and has always been looking for the location of the ancestral temple. In 1991, with the help of Taiwanese businessmen, The Xiahai Chenghuang Temple successfully found the ancestral temple, rebuilt the temple and recreated beliefs and customs. Moral economy has always played an important role in the reconstruction of the Houxi Xiacheng Chenghuang Temple. At the same time, in order to integrate into local relations and facilitate commercial activities, Taiwanese businessmen actively participate in the process of temple reconstruction and cultural reconstruction. For the villagers of Houxi, the reconstruction of temples and the reconstruction of customs have led to a close relationship between them, and they are happy about this. Local officials who strive for governance hope that the reconstruction of temples and the reconstruction of customs can bring about a higher level of impact, such as cultural exchange with Taiwan and local economic development. Therefore, local social classes influence the operation of moral economy through their own means. Finally, they achieved their respective goals in the temple reconstruction and faith and custom reconstruction of Houxi Xiacheng Chenghuang Temple.

Keyword

Religious Root Seeking, Temple Reconstruction, Reconstruction of Faith and Customs, Moral Economy, Taiwanese businessmen.

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