Wind Imagery in <i>Shijing</i>: Sacrificing to the Wind God in Early China
<i>Shijing</i> 詩經 is the earliest collection of Chinese poems and songs traditionally considered to be compiled by Confucius. Scholarship on this collection deems the widespread wind imagery contained in it to be either a metaphor for males or a medium of emotional expression. However, t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/1/102 |
| _version_ | 1827622372461510656 |
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| author | Chao Cai Siu Kwai Yeung |
| author_facet | Chao Cai Siu Kwai Yeung |
| author_sort | Chao Cai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Shijing</i> 詩經 is the earliest collection of Chinese poems and songs traditionally considered to be compiled by Confucius. Scholarship on this collection deems the widespread wind imagery contained in it to be either a metaphor for males or a medium of emotional expression. However, the religious ideas involved in the sacrifices to the wind gods in early China, which are, in fact, deeply linked with the “wind” in <i>Shijing</i>, warrant further consideration. This article focuses on the relation between the “wind” in <i>Shijing</i> and the religious ideas involved in sacrificial rites (“<i>ningfeng</i> 寧風” and “<i>difeng</i> 禘風”) to the wind gods. Drawing upon the history of wind disasters and sacrifices to the wind gods in early China, this article suggests that the pieces entitled “<i>Gufeng</i> 谷風” (included in the <i>Xiaoya</i> 小雅 section) and “<i>Herensi</i> 何人斯” provide descriptions of “<i>ningfeng</i>” (appeasing unwanted wind). Moreover, it argues that the pieces entitled “<i>Kaifeng</i> 凱風” and “<i>Tuoxi</i> 蘀兮” depict a genial wind in connection with harvest, childbearing, and prosperity involved in “<i>difeng</i>”. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:21:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b24ede2783914b63888fc2e983978030 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:21:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-b24ede2783914b63888fc2e9839780302023-12-01T00:17:50ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442023-01-0114110210.3390/rel14010102Wind Imagery in <i>Shijing</i>: Sacrificing to the Wind God in Early ChinaChao Cai0Siu Kwai Yeung1School of Foreign Studies, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan 512005, ChinaFaculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China<i>Shijing</i> 詩經 is the earliest collection of Chinese poems and songs traditionally considered to be compiled by Confucius. Scholarship on this collection deems the widespread wind imagery contained in it to be either a metaphor for males or a medium of emotional expression. However, the religious ideas involved in the sacrifices to the wind gods in early China, which are, in fact, deeply linked with the “wind” in <i>Shijing</i>, warrant further consideration. This article focuses on the relation between the “wind” in <i>Shijing</i> and the religious ideas involved in sacrificial rites (“<i>ningfeng</i> 寧風” and “<i>difeng</i> 禘風”) to the wind gods. Drawing upon the history of wind disasters and sacrifices to the wind gods in early China, this article suggests that the pieces entitled “<i>Gufeng</i> 谷風” (included in the <i>Xiaoya</i> 小雅 section) and “<i>Herensi</i> 何人斯” provide descriptions of “<i>ningfeng</i>” (appeasing unwanted wind). Moreover, it argues that the pieces entitled “<i>Kaifeng</i> 凱風” and “<i>Tuoxi</i> 蘀兮” depict a genial wind in connection with harvest, childbearing, and prosperity involved in “<i>difeng</i>”.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/1/102<i>Shijing</i>wind godningfengdifengreligion in early Chinasacrifice |
| spellingShingle | Chao Cai Siu Kwai Yeung Wind Imagery in <i>Shijing</i>: Sacrificing to the Wind God in Early China Religions <i>Shijing</i> wind god ningfeng difeng religion in early China sacrifice |
| title | Wind Imagery in <i>Shijing</i>: Sacrificing to the Wind God in Early China |
| title_full | Wind Imagery in <i>Shijing</i>: Sacrificing to the Wind God in Early China |
| title_fullStr | Wind Imagery in <i>Shijing</i>: Sacrificing to the Wind God in Early China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wind Imagery in <i>Shijing</i>: Sacrificing to the Wind God in Early China |
| title_short | Wind Imagery in <i>Shijing</i>: Sacrificing to the Wind God in Early China |
| title_sort | wind imagery in i shijing i sacrificing to the wind god in early china |
| topic | <i>Shijing</i> wind god ningfeng difeng religion in early China sacrifice |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/1/102 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chaocai windimageryinishijingisacrificingtothewindgodinearlychina AT siukwaiyeung windimageryinishijingisacrificingtothewindgodinearlychina |