EACS-2016. Book of Abstracts

Chinese Manuscripts, Books, Artifacts Abroad 21st Biennial Conference of the European Association for Chinese Studies 96 Yang Yujun (National Chung Cheng University) Auspicious Motives in Prints of Caishen, God of Fortune Key words: God of Fortune, woodblock prints, Caishen, auspicious symbols Earliest print of Caishen could probably be dated back to the Jin Dynasty (1115–1234). In a print entitled Zenfu xianggong (Minister of Fortune Accretion), held in Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia, the Minister is accompanied by a serving boy, much like the layout of other pictures of deities. In the background, including the tree behind, potted plants on the table, a goat, and the treasures scattered on the ground, we find several pictorial motives of fortune and auspiciousness. Most of these motives are still prevalent in contemporary auspicious culture. With that as a beginning, I intend to investigate the literary and pictorial motives used in early twentieth century nianhua prints of Caishen. By Caishen nianhua, I refer to either paper icons that accompanied a worship ritual that are to be burned right afterwards as well as more sophisticated, decorative prints that would adorn a household for a year until replaced by new ones in the following year. I will discuss widely-used auspicious motives that are universally seen in all types of nianhua prints. Studies will be conducted to sort out identities of different Gods of Fortune, including their specific legends and objects or animals associated with them, in order to give proper account of the narrative elements found in different Caishen nianhua. Zavidovskaia Ekaterina (National Tsing Hua University) Russian Sinologist Vasily Alexeev on Popular Religion in Late Imperial North China Key words: Russian sinology, popular religion, late imperial China, City God, Zhong Kui The subject of this study are first-hand materials on popular religion in late imperial North China belong- ing to the founding father of Russian sinology Vasily M. Alexeev (1881–1951). In 1907 as a member of Édouard Chavannes` (1865–1918) archeological expedition Alexeev visited several northern provinces, made impressive amount of notes, purchased hundreds of woodblock prints, paper icons and amulets, asked Chinese mentors to write explanatory notes, which “voice” the common folks` understanding of religion and Confucian culture. Only a portion of these travel materials was posthumously published in the book “V staromKitae” (In Old China, 1958), publication ofAlexeev`s lecture The Chinese Gods ofWealth (SOAS, London, 1927) attracted attention of European sinology to little known popular culture. His works analyzing woodblock prints as a facet of popular religion entered the monograph Kitaiskaia narodnaia kartina (Chinese Popular Picture, 1966). As a trained sinologist, Alexeev was skeptical about some views concerning Chinese religion by hisWestern colleagues JJ. M. de Groot and H. Doré, his scientific and balanced conclusions were in many instances ahead of his times. My research of Alexeev`s archival materials recently discovered in the State Museum of the History of Religion (Saint Petersburg) aims to replenish his published works and enhance current scholarship on late Qing religion. I will focus on specific features of popular religion in the North China on the verge of Xinhai Revolution, including cult of Dragon King and prayers for rain, rituals of repentance and cult of City God, worship of demon conqueror Zhong Kui and patrons of professions and illustrate my arguments by Alexeev’s travel notes, paper icons and protective amulets.