Folk belief and custom (meirigengzhao belief and custom)

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: folk belief and custom (meirigengzhao belief and custom)

Applicant: Jiuyuan District, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Item No.: 992

Project No.: Ⅹ - 85

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: folk customs

Region: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Jiuyuan District, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Protection unit: local folk culture research and Protection Society of Jiuyuan District, Baotou City

A brief introduction to folk belief custom (meirigengzhao belief custom)

Applicant: Jiuyuan District, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Meirigengzhao religious custom is a cultural space formed in Inner Mongolia temples by chanting sutras and praying in Mongolian, which integrates people's belief ceremony and folk activities.

Meirigeng Gegen is an outstanding scholar and master of Buddhist theory in the history of Mongolian culture in the 18th century. In 1677, a Tibetan Buddhist temple was built in "Hai RI Tu" (now in Dalate Banner) on the North Bank of the Yellow River. It is called "meirigeng gegenzhao", which is now located in Jiuyuan District of Baotou city. It is the birthplace of Tibetan Buddhism and Mongolian chanting. Meirigengzhao is the only yellow temple in the world that recites Sutras in Mongolian.

Meirigeng's ritual of chanting Buddhist scriptures and praying for blessings in Mongolian has a profound influence on the Mongolian people, forming a temple tradition of faith and custom inherited from generation to generation and widely participated by the people.

The main forms of meirigengzhao's belief are as follows: on the 15th day of the first month and the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, a large-scale Chama (or "meeting") is held. The upper living Buddhas and lamas go to the main hall of meirigengzhao to chant sutras, turn the temple boundary stones, and the lamas dance Chama. On August 15, horse racing and wrestling activities were held. On the fifth day of May, monks and people worship the main peak and rocks of Wula mountain. On July 13, wulatexi banner killed bulls to offer sacrifices to Oboo. On the 23rd of December, the Lama went to the people's home to praise the fire words. All the above rituals should be chanted in Mongolian.

The formation and development of meirigengzhao belief custom is closely related to the Mongolian history and culture, and has important historical, ethnological and folkloric values.

Chinese PinYin : Min Jian Xin Su Mei Ri Geng Zhao Xin Su