增福财神的信仰历史与当下现状

Research on the History and Current Status of the Fortune-increasing God

增福财神又称增福神,最早出现在河北、山东等地。元代碑刻记载了增福神的传说和信仰,称该神在五代、两宋得到过朝廷的敕封。元杂剧塑造了增福神的形象,描写了当时增福神信仰的流行情况。增福神的上位神是东岳大帝,因而他主掌地狱各司,也掌管人间衣禄食禄、贵贱高下,故又被称作福禄之神。明清时期增福财神信仰已流传到华北各省,多地志书都曾记载过增福财神庙会。清代以后,随着五显、赵公明、关公、比干等财神的兴起,增福财神逐渐被取代,只是信仰并未消失。河北曲周县相传是增福财神李诡祖生前任职、死后葬身的地方,信仰氛围一向浓厚,今天仍保留了较多的民间传统色彩。

Fortune-increasing God worship first appeared in Hebei and Shandong provinces.The legends and the worship of the God were recorded in the Yuan dynasty inscriptions,which said that the God was deified officially during the Five Dynasties and the Song Dynasty.Yuan zaju(Yuan Dramas)portrayed the images of the God and described the prevalence of this belief.Since his superior is the Great Deity of Mount Tai,the Fortune-increasing God took charge of the departments of hell and decided the prosperity of the living so that he was also called"God of Fortune and Prosperity".In the Ming and Qing Dynasties,the God was worshipped in the provinces of North China,and many local records recorded temple fairs of the God.With the rise of other gods of wealth such as Five Manifestations,Zhao Gongming,Guan Gong and Bi Gan,the Fortune-increasing God worship was gradually replaced but it never disappeared.It is said that Quzhou County in Hebei province is the place where Li Gui,the Fortune-increasing God,worked and was finally buried,so there is a strong religious atmosphere there.Now there are still two small temples located in this county.The worship of the God here retains some traditional elements like the disciples holding temple fairs every year and singing praises to the divinity.