Recessed superstition
During the time of Prince Wen from the Wei dynasty (445 - 396 BC), an official Ximen Bao was appointed head of the E county (in the west of the current county of Linzhang, Henan Province).
Arriving at the place of service, he met with local elders and began to ask them what difficulties the local residents had. The elders said: "We are saddened by the need to give brides to the god of the river, which is the cause of our poverty . "
Simen Bao began to ask more. The answer was: “ Three priests and one hermit every year arrange levies among the population. The amount that they take, comes to a hundred times 10 thousand. Of these, 20 to 30 times 10 thousand times each are consumed at the wedding of the river god. They share the rest between themselves and another witch. When the time comes, the witch is here and chooses some beautiful girl. She says: "This girl should become the wife of the river god." And the preparation for the engagement ceremony begins.
After 10 days, the girl is put on jewelry and ordered to lie down on the mat. Mat is thrown into the river. She swims a few miles, and then with the girl goes under the water to the river god. If there is a beautiful daughter in any family, then everyone is afraid that when she grows up, the witch will assign her to the bride to the river god. Many families run with their daughters to remote locations. The population of the city is getting smaller, and poverty is growing. This has been going on for a long time. People say: "If the river god does not give up the bride, then the flow of water will destroy all property and drown people." That is what they say. ”
Simen Bao said: “ When the river god wants to have a spouse the next time, I want the three priests, a witch and village elders to escort the girl when they send her to the river. I will be there too . ” Everyone agreed.
When the appointed day came, Simen Bao appeared on the river bank.
Three priests, local officials and servants, rich men, elders - all came to see the sacrifice. There were about three thousand spectators in total
The witch was about 70 years old. Her 10 followers followed. All of them wore long silk dresses and served the witch.
Simen Bao said; “Call here the bride of the river god. I want to see if she is beautiful or ugly. ”
From the hut carried darling. Simen Bao examined her and turned to the priests, the witch and the elders: “ This girl is not beautiful enough. Therefore, I instruct the great sorceress to descend into the river and pass on the message to the river god. If he wishes a more beautiful spouse, we will send her to him after some time . ” And he ordered his assistants to throw the old woman into the river.
After a short wait, Simen Bao said: “ Why is this old sorceress so slow? Let her student hurry her! "And one of the students was thrown into the river.
After some time, Simen Bao said: “ What is this student lingers on? Send another student to hurry her . ” Another pupil was thrown into the river. In the same way, this fate befell three more students.
Simen Bao said: “The sorceress and the girls are just women. They can not sensibly convey our words to the river god. Perhaps, it is necessary to send three priests into the river so that they can explain with the river god . ”
And he ordered to throw three priests into the river. Then he pinned his hair with a hairpin and, looking carefully at the river, was waiting for something. Then fear gripped the village elders, officials and spectators.
Finally, Simen Bao turned around and said: “The old witch, her students and three priests do not return, what to do?” And he ordered to throw a hermit and one of the rich into the river in order to hasten the disappeared.
Then everyone rushed to their knees, put their hands on the ground and, turning to Ximen Bao, began to bang their heads on the ground in such a way that they opened their foreheads. The color of their faces resembled cooled ashes.
Simen Bao said: "Well, let's wait a little longer."
After a while he said: “Well, get up. I feel that the river god will keep his guests for a long time. You do not need to go to him. Go home. ”
The officials and residents of E were frightened for their lives, and since then no one has ever tried to talk about the wedding of the river god, let alone arrange it.
Taken from the “Appendix to the“ Historical Notes ”by Chu Shaosun (1st century BC) as presented by H. von Zenger
Arriving at the place of service, he met with local elders and began to ask them what difficulties the local residents had. The elders said: "We are saddened by the need to give brides to the god of the river, which is the cause of our poverty . "
Simen Bao began to ask more. The answer was: “ Three priests and one hermit every year arrange levies among the population. The amount that they take, comes to a hundred times 10 thousand. Of these, 20 to 30 times 10 thousand times each are consumed at the wedding of the river god. They share the rest between themselves and another witch. When the time comes, the witch is here and chooses some beautiful girl. She says: "This girl should become the wife of the river god." And the preparation for the engagement ceremony begins.
After 10 days, the girl is put on jewelry and ordered to lie down on the mat. Mat is thrown into the river. She swims a few miles, and then with the girl goes under the water to the river god. If there is a beautiful daughter in any family, then everyone is afraid that when she grows up, the witch will assign her to the bride to the river god. Many families run with their daughters to remote locations. The population of the city is getting smaller, and poverty is growing. This has been going on for a long time. People say: "If the river god does not give up the bride, then the flow of water will destroy all property and drown people." That is what they say. ”
Simen Bao said: “ When the river god wants to have a spouse the next time, I want the three priests, a witch and village elders to escort the girl when they send her to the river. I will be there too . ” Everyone agreed.
When the appointed day came, Simen Bao appeared on the river bank.
Three priests, local officials and servants, rich men, elders - all came to see the sacrifice. There were about three thousand spectators in total
The witch was about 70 years old. Her 10 followers followed. All of them wore long silk dresses and served the witch.
Simen Bao said; “Call here the bride of the river god. I want to see if she is beautiful or ugly. ”
From the hut carried darling. Simen Bao examined her and turned to the priests, the witch and the elders: “ This girl is not beautiful enough. Therefore, I instruct the great sorceress to descend into the river and pass on the message to the river god. If he wishes a more beautiful spouse, we will send her to him after some time . ” And he ordered his assistants to throw the old woman into the river.
After a short wait, Simen Bao said: “ Why is this old sorceress so slow? Let her student hurry her! "And one of the students was thrown into the river.
After some time, Simen Bao said: “ What is this student lingers on? Send another student to hurry her . ” Another pupil was thrown into the river. In the same way, this fate befell three more students.
Simen Bao said: “The sorceress and the girls are just women. They can not sensibly convey our words to the river god. Perhaps, it is necessary to send three priests into the river so that they can explain with the river god . ”
And he ordered to throw three priests into the river. Then he pinned his hair with a hairpin and, looking carefully at the river, was waiting for something. Then fear gripped the village elders, officials and spectators.
Finally, Simen Bao turned around and said: “The old witch, her students and three priests do not return, what to do?” And he ordered to throw a hermit and one of the rich into the river in order to hasten the disappeared.
Then everyone rushed to their knees, put their hands on the ground and, turning to Ximen Bao, began to bang their heads on the ground in such a way that they opened their foreheads. The color of their faces resembled cooled ashes.
Simen Bao said: "Well, let's wait a little longer."
After a while he said: “Well, get up. I feel that the river god will keep his guests for a long time. You do not need to go to him. Go home. ”
The officials and residents of E were frightened for their lives, and since then no one has ever tried to talk about the wedding of the river god, let alone arrange it.
Taken from the “Appendix to the“ Historical Notes ”by Chu Shaosun (1st century BC) as presented by H. von Zenger
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Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/8804/
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