From the "Book of Changes" we can know that Chinese culture advocates "not being alarmed" when it comes to thunder and lightning. But even so, for the ancients, the bright lightning and roaring thunder were still too scary. Even if there is no feeling of fear, there is still a sense of awe.
This kind of reverence for thunder and lightning is concentrated in the worship of thunder and lightning.
Thunder and lightning worship is a type of nature worship. Nature worship refers to worshiping natural objects and natural forces as objects with life, will and great ability. It is the basic form of natural religion that takes as the object of worship personalized or sacred natural objects and natural forces. It is the most primitive form of religion.
Thunder and lightning worship is to worship thunder and lightning as an object with life, will and great ability.
No matter how ethereal the ghosts and gods are, they still have their basis in reality. No matter how different the forms of animal gods are among various ethnic groups, the cow god does not look like a horse, and the eagle god does not look like a rabbit.
The image of the God of Thunder is also related to the characteristics of "Thunder and Lightning" - masculine.
(1) Worship of ghosts and gods
To understand the God of Thunder, you must first understand the worship of ghosts and gods in ancient China.
In the early days of mankind, productivity was extremely low. The ancient ancestors lacked a correct understanding of various natural phenomena. The sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, earth, vegetation, birds and beasts all had magical powers in their hearts. The concept of animism arose. With their limited cognitive abilities, the ancestors vividly deified all things, and the concepts of totems, animal gods, and plant gods began to emerge. At the same time, the ancestors believed that the soul is immortal after death, so ancestor worship emerged. Therefore, various funeral rituals gradually emerged on this basis. Later, this worship of nature, totems, souls and ancestors gradually merged and developed into the view that ancestors and gods are one. On this basis, the supreme emperor of heaven was created.
During the Yin and Shang Dynasties, based on the belief in the Emperor of Heaven, a system of gods was initially formed, and shamans specializing in communication between humans and gods appeared. Witches use songs and dances to enchant gods, use spells to drive away ghosts, use words to please ghosts and gods, and offer sacrifices to pray for blessings. In addition, witches and blessings also remove disasters and cure diseases, predict good luck and fortune, draw talismans and recite incantations. During the Yin and Shang Dynasties, a complete set of witchcraft and blessing culture was formed and developed among the numerous sacrifices to gods. Qu Yuan's "Nine Songs" is a vivid description of the sacrifices in Wuzhu culture.
The Zhou Dynasty succeeded the Yin and Shang Dynasties in ruling the world, and the worship of ghosts and gods became more systematic and formed the theological theory of "Destiny"; the ghosts and gods worshiped by the Zhou people have formed three systems: heavenly gods, human ghosts and earthly gods. . Those belonging to the gods include the Emperor of Heaven and the gods of the sun, moon, stars, buckets, constellations, winds, clouds, thunder, and rain; those belonging to the earth include the gods of Sheji, mountains, rivers, five mountains, and four mountains; those belonging to humans and ghosts are mainly the surnames. ancestors and worshiped saints. In "Nine Songs", there are descriptions of sacrifices to gods, humans, ghosts and earthly gods respectively. 3
(2) God of Thunder
As mentioned above, we have said that the worship of thunder and lightning is concentrated in the worship of God of Thunder. Let’s first understand the legend of the God of Thunder in our nation.
Thunder God, also known as Thunder God and Thunder Master, is the god of thunder and belongs to the god of nature. In ancient China, the God of Thunder was worshiped and regarded as the spokesperson of God's will, able to distinguish between good and evil, good and bad. , upholding justice on behalf of Heaven, punishing evil and promoting good, and killing guilty people.
The image of the God of Thunder is a mixture of humans and animals, half human and half animal. The current statue of Lei Gong generally has the appearance of a strong man mixed with humans and beasts. The face is as red as a monkey, the kiss is as protruding as a beak, and the claws are as sharp as an eagle. He holds an ax in one hand and a chisel in the other, as if he is about to strike.
There are many images of the God of Thunder, including dragon, snake, thunderbird, thunder beast and human form. Even in the form of dragon and snake, there are many different versions. But the most unique characteristic is that they are strong.
For example, the image of the God of Thunder described in "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" is: "There is a God of Thunder in the thunder, with a dragon body and a human head, and when its belly is bulging, it is thunder." 4 His "Great Wild East Classic" says: "Zang Like an ox, it has a pale body without horns, one leg, and... its voice is like thunder." 5 They are all half-human and half-animal.
The image of the thunder god recorded in "Lunheng Lei Xu" written by Wang Chong of the Eastern Han Dynasty has changed, saying:
"The work of the painting, the shape of the thunder, is like the shape of a continuous drum. Another picture shows a person who looks like a strong man, called Thunder God. He uses his left hand to lead the drum and his right hand to push the vertebrae. "6
It is basically anthropomorphic.
1. The God of Thunder in Folklore
Folks have worshiped the God of Thunder since ancient times, and many stories about the God of Thunder have been circulated, especially in the Tang and Song Dynasties.
In the notes of literati in the Tang and Song Dynasties, there are many stories about thunder gods and thunder ghosts descending from the sky after heavy thunderstorms, thunder gods striking unfilial sons and unscrupulous businessmen with thunderbolts, and thunder gods marrying wives, etc., reflecting people's existing understanding of thunder gods. The psychology of awe and the desire to uphold justice. Among these stories, the story of Lei Gong raising a son recorded in "Lei Min Biography" by Shen Jiji of the Tang Dynasty is more eye-catching. The biography states: "In the past (Leizhou people), the Chen family got big eggs in the court due to thunder and rain, and they were overturned. At the end of the month, the egg was broken, and a baby came out. Later, a thunderbolt struck the house and entered the child's room. It seemed that the baby was more than a year old, but he could eat, so he thought it would not come again. "Jizi. (Chen) Yi is the child in the egg." 7
The Taoist version of "Sou Shen Ji" and "Three Religions Sou Shen Encyclopedia" written in the Yuan Dynasty and slightly edited in the Ming Dynasty summarize the above story. Add transformation buffs and write the story of Thunder God Chen Wenyu.
Volume 1 of "Sou Shen Ji" says: "Old records say: In the early days of Chen Taijian (569-582), the Chen family of (Leizhou) people hunted an egg, which was more than a foot wide, and brought it home. Suddenly one day, there was a thunderbolt. And Kai gave birth to a son, who was named "Leizhou". He was later raised and named Wenyu, and he was named Lei Zhong in local folklore. There was a roar of lightning coming out of the temple. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the temple was named "Xianzhen" and changed its name to "Waihua" in Deyou (1275). Volume 79, "In the third year of Emperor Qingyuan of Ningzong of the Song Dynasty, Lei Shen of Leizhou was granted the title of King Guangyou. The temple is located in Yingbang Mountain of Leizhou. In the ninth year of Xining of Shenzong, he was granted the title of King of Weide. In the third year of Emperor Xiaozong's reign, he was granted the title of King of Guangyou. King You. In the eleventh year of Emperor Chunyou's reign, he added Puji, and in the first year of Emperor Gong's deyou, he added Weide Yingling." 9
The God of Thunder here is not a great god, he just has miracles. Even, in some legends, Thor appears as an evil god. 10
2. The God of Thunder in Taoism - the God of Good and Evil
Taoism absorbed the folk belief in the God of Thunder, transformed it, and built a God of Thunder system. The "Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Lord" is the highest god of the Thunder Department. He lives in the Shenxiao Jade Mansion and is responsible for the thirty-six Thunder God Heavenly Lords. Later generations will attach him to the Xuanyuan Emperor. He is in charge of the five thunders of heaven, earth, water, gods, and society. The father of all living things, the master of all spirits, wields the power of life and death, and specializes in punishing evildoers; the Leicheng is eighty-one feet high, with the Yushu Five Thunder Envoys' Courtyard on the left, the Yufu Five Thunder Envoys' Courtyard on the right, and in front of Tianzun, there are thirty thunder drums. The six sides are controlled by thirty-six thunder gods. Whenever thunder occurs, Tianzun will personally strike the thunder drum of his headquarters, and the thunder god and thunder master will immediately make thunder. Correspondingly, in Taoism, there is a thunder god that invites thunder gods. This method uses talisman magic to subdue demons and catch ghosts, refine dead souls, summon gods to drive away evil spirits, and stir up clouds to cause rain.
Volume 12, 18, etc. of Du Guangting's deleted "The Complete Works of Daomen Kefan" have used Feng Boyu Yushi and Lei Gongdian Mu as the gods to pray for rain and snow. The thunder method after the Northern Song Dynasty Taoist priests also regard it as the messenger god who performs thunder magic. The latter originated in the Tang Dynasty. Volume 1 of Du Guangting's "Biography of Immortals' Encounters" and "The Biography of Ye Yushao" records that during a thunderstorm, Thunder God was caught in the branches and could not escape. Later, he was rescued by Ye Qianshao. Lei Gong was "thankful to thank him." He wrote a scroll with ink seals and said: "According to this, you can cause thunderstorms, relieve pain, and perform meritorious service to save people. My five brothers, I want to hear the sound of thunder." , but calling Lei Da and Lei Er will correspond. However, the five natures of thunder are strong and impetuous. If there is no emergency, it cannot be called. It will have special effects if it causes rain." 11
The Shenxiao that emerged at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty and various sects in the Qing Dynasty focused on the implementation of thunder methods. It is claimed that the main god in charge of Lei Zheng is "Jiutian Yingyuan Thunder Universal Transformation Tianzun", and Lei Master and Lei Gong are their subordinate gods. The "Nine Heavens Yingyuan Thunderous Voice of Universal Transformation Tianzun Yushu Bao Sutra" pretends to be from the mouth of Puhua Tianzun to preach the scriptures to Lei Master Haoweng. It orders those who are "disloyal to the king, unfilial to their parents, and disrespectful to their teachers" to "immediately pay The five-thunder swordsman will first kill its spirit, and then examine its shape... and even the shape will shake the corpse and cause it to burst." 12 and so on.
In the old days, there were many thunder temples in various places. Huang Feiran's "Ji Shuo Interpretation" in the late Qing Dynasty said: "The thunder god as created by today's customs looks like a strong man, with bare chest and abdomen, two wings on the back, and a forehead With three eyes, the face is as red as a monkey, the chin is long and sharp, the feet are like an eagle, and the claws are more powerful. The left hand holds a wedge and the right hand holds a mallet, with five drums hanging from the top to the side. He plays a drum and is called Lei Gong Jiang Tianjun."
From here we can see that the status of the God of Thunder is not high either in folklore or in Taoism. It is just a god representing the power of nature who obeys the Emperor of Heaven and even other gods.
What about before? Like ancient times?
4. The Supreme God in Ancient Times
We believe that in ancient times, the status of the God of Thunder was very noble. It is the Supreme God.
Before the concept of the Emperor of Heaven came into being, the God of Thunder had a very high status. This is obviously reflected in agricultural and pastoral areas. In the minds of some ethnic groups, the God of Thunder is even the biggest god.
“If you don’t believe in God, believe in the God of Thunder”, “The Thunder God is the biggest in the sky, the mother-in-law is the biggest on the earth”, “I am not afraid of anyone except the God of Thunder”… These folk sayings also preserve the ancient ancestors’ reverence for the God of Thunder. heart.
Later, after the concepts of "Heaven" and "God" were formed, Lei Sheng's divine status began to decline, and his status was reduced to a subordinate god. The cult of Thor also gradually declined.
(1) The highest god in ancient times
Feuerbach once said this:
...Even among civilized peoples, the highest god is The personification of the natural phenomenon that arouses the greatest fear in man is the god of thunder and lightning. Some peoples have no other words to represent God except the word "Thunder". ...Even the genius Greeks simply called the highest god Thor. That Thor or Donar, the god of thunder, was also the oldest, most revered, and most universally worshiped god among the ancient Germans, at least the northern Germans, as well as the Finns and Leedonians. (Feuerbach: "Lectures on the Nature of Religion", translated by Lin Yiwen, The Commercial Press, 1937, 30 pages)
As he said, the God of Thunder had the highest status in ancient human concepts.
The same is true in China. Before the concept of the Emperor of Heaven was formed, Lei was once the supreme god.
There are two pieces of evidence:
1. In the early days, the image of the God of Thunder was a dragon or a dragon body with a human head, and in ancient times the status of the dragon was extremely high.
The "Book of Mountains and Seas" we quoted above contains a sentence: "There is a god of thunder in the thunder, with a dragon body and a human head, and when its belly is bulging, it is thunder." In addition, "Huainanzi Terrain Training" has such a sentence as "There is a god in Lei Ze, with a dragon body and a human head, and its belly is bulging and prosperous". "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" is an important classic that preserves the myths and legends of ancient China and even ancient times. From here we can understand that the Chinese gave the image of their most worshiped animal "dragon" to the God of Thunder, which shows that the status of the God of Thunder must also be extremely high. The words of "Huainanzi" are very similar to "The Classic of Mountains and Seas", and it may have been written after referring to the latter. But considering the time when "Huainanzi" was written, we can at least determine that this concept of the thunder god as a dragon still existed in the Han Dynasty.
2. Some ancient personal gods were regarded as the sons of the God of Thunder or directly as the God of Thunder. Fuxi's mother, Hua Xu, felt the thunder god in Yuleize and gave birth to Fuxi, and Huangdi's mother saw the big lightning going around the Beidou and gave birth to the Yellow Emperor, so they are both considered to be the sons of the thunder god. In other legends, the Yellow Emperor is the God of Thunder. The Yellow Emperor is also known as Xuanyuan, and Xuanyuan is the name of the God of Thunder. (Note: The fifth volume of "Taiping Yulan" contains the phrase "Xuanyuan, the god of thunder and rain".) The second volume of "Yi Wen Lei Ju" quotes "He Tu Di Ji Tong", "The Yellow Emperor rises with the spirit of thunder". All this shows that during the periods of Fuxi and Huangdi, the God of Thunder was the supreme god.