妈祖信仰在安徽的传播

The Spread of Mazu Belief in Anhui Province

安徽境内湖泊众多,水系发达,为水神信仰和妈祖信仰的传播提供了必要的宗教土壤。历史悠久、影响深远的佛教文化留给妈祖信仰的宗教生态空间相对有限,妈祖信仰在安徽的传播主要靠政府官员的身体力行和旅皖闽商异地传播。妈祖信仰在宋代传入安徽后,信仰群体日增,至明代天妃信仰已经取代了名噪一时的小孤山小姑圣母信仰。在鸦片战争后,清廷渐衰,依托官方祭祀、政令推行及商贾会馆传播的妈祖信仰已无力再隆。近代工业发展带来航运载具的革新换代几乎使妈祖保驾护航的主要职能变得无用武之地,安徽地区的妈祖信仰在当地的影响辐射面愈加萎缩。

Numerous lakes and developed water systems in Anhui province provide religious soil for the spread of the water god belief and Mazu belief.The long-standing and far-reaching Buddhist culture leaves relatively limited religious ecological space for the Mazu belief.The spread of the Mazu belief in Anhui province mainly relies on the practice of government officials and businessman from to Fujian province to Anhui province.After the Mazu belief was introduced to Anhui in the Song Dynasty,the belief groups increased.By the Ming Dynasty,the Tianfei belief had replaced the notorious Xiaogushan Aunt belief.After the Opium War,with the weakening of the Qing government,Mazu belief,which relied on official sacrifices,decree implementation,and the merchants’ hall,was unable to spread.The modern industrial development brought about the revolution and replacement of shipping vehicles,which almost made the main functions of Mazu escort useless,and the local influence of the Mazu belief in Anhui area is shrinking.