Ancient interpretation of chanting spells with symbols.

Spells are closely related to witchcraft culture. Spells are originally a wizard's patent, and it is a wizard's housekeeping skill and unique skill. People who are not familiar with magic will never become wizards. Because of this, many ethnic wizard successors spend a lot of time learning to use spells before they officially become wizards. Spells, especially spells, are the core of witchcraft rituals, and chanting has become the most important part of various witchcraft rituals. There is no ceremony without chanting, and there is no ceremony with chanting.

Spells also had a certain influence and function on dynasty politics, and became a tool for the feudal ruling class to fight for power and profit and consolidate its own rule. For example, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty hated victory because of superstition (one of the spells) and killed court officials and even his own flesh and blood. During the Southern Dynasties, Chen's fourth son was dissatisfied with the late ruler Chen. "He hates to cast spells for blessing and help. Carve wood for puppets ... day and night in the sun and moon, I hope the curse is on the top. " Zhu Yuanzhang, the Ming emperor, also used spells to serve himself. Shi Tian Zhang Zhengchang, the 42nd generation, gave Zhu Yuanzhang a spell with the words "Heaven is in Taizu" before he proclaimed himself emperor, to promote Zhu Yuanzhang's regime change. Ming Shizong was also addicted to magic. When he was in power, Taoist Shao and Tao were favored by him because they were good at witchcraft spells. They are not only in charge of Taoist temple and palace gate affairs, but also extremely important officials, almost to the point of manipulating the emperor and the court. Of course, the political influence and function of spells are far less than their influence on folk customs. As an important part of witchcraft culture, incantations have a great influence on China folk customs. This huge impact can be seen from the following aspects:

First, the folk ritual of offering sacrifices to gods is inseparable from spells, which are an important magic weapon for people to communicate and control the gods.

Second, all kinds of other folk activities and even daily life are inseparable from spells. For example, in the folk, whether it is to save lives, ward off evil spirits, pray for a bumper harvest, get rich, pray for peace, pray for the husband and wife's mother-in-law, protect the fetus, and drive away the plague by six animals. Even when children play, their flesh is cut and bled by sharp tools, and there are corresponding hemostasis spells. According to Jade Sagger, "Children are unstable and playful when they are young, and they are most likely to fall down or be torn to pieces. Love to visit those who have magic to stop bleeding is extremely magical, and sincerely pass it on to help the world ... "The spell said:

A drop of oil comes out of the sun,

Riding an ox with a golden whip in hand;

Three cheers and running water,

Fingers on the red door won't bleed. The use of character seals, like spells, is also very extensive and ubiquitous. In case of evil, there are evil spirits, fire-blocking symbols, water-blocking symbols, disease-removing symbols, building symbols, evil spirits, bone-turning symbols, lawsuits, even imperial examinations, going out for a long trip, eating and living, and even wild dogs coming home and hens crying at night. There is a symbol. For example, literati always dream of imperial examination high school, so the imperial examination also has symbols (figure 1- 10). In this symbol, we can see that the "early imperial examination" is actually a spell, and the Samsung in the middle is the symbol of Fu Lushou's Samsung. This spell must be combined with witchcraft to be effective. Its method is to take seven liters of soil and five liters of red dates from the bridge, put them in a big porcelain bottle and bury them three feet underground in front of the statue of Confucius. After the vase is buried with soil, five large stones with a weight of 120 kg should be placed in five colors, and then the stones should be buried with soil and the charm should be buried. In addition, on the birthday of Confucius or Wenchang, Confucius and Wenchang should be sacrificed. It is said that this method can bless one side and carry forward Confucianism.

Third, people are very superstitious about the omnipotent power of magic. People think that spells can not only prevent and cure diseases, revive the dead, control ghosts and gods, summon spirits, turn the invisible into the invisible, turn evil into good, curse and kill enemies, but also fly sand and stones, stop wind and rain, call rats to repel mosquitoes and carry objects ... The following myths and epic stories about the magic of spells are widely circulated among the people, reflecting people's superstitious worship of the magic of spells.