Cultural Section: Hero-Worship

It is common knowledge that Chinese people follow Buddhism and Taoism as their main religious practices. It is less generally recognized that they also practise ancestral worship. However, “hero-worship” is not usually spoken of.

Western understanding of hero-worship is strongly affiliated with Greek culture. Heroes are semi-divine beings, usually an offspring of deities. They are naturally bigger than life. In Hesiod’s account, heroes belong to a bygone age and they are an “independent race of men”.

The subjects of Chinese hero-worship are usually less fantastic in their origin. It is easier to understand this difference if we say that Chinese hero-worship is a derivative of ancestral worship. These heroes are often mortals who have, in their lifetime, performed deeds of such grandeur and behaved in such an exemplary way that, after their death, people praise and honour them with shrines and offerings.

Unlike their Greek counterparts, these Chinese heroes rarely gave rise to cults. The only possible exception is Confucius. The heroes are revered only as individuals and for their persona. For some heroes, divine aspects are later attributed to their identity. For example, Magistrate Bao of the Song dynasty was a man of incorruptible justice. He is also said to be an avatar or human incarnation of a Chinese constellation.

The glorification of these heroes takes place with the full consent of the ancient Chinese public. Even departed Chinese emperors could not enjoy such a glorification. This contrasts greatly with the glorification of deceased Roman emperors.

The role of Chinese hero-worship holds a unique place in Chinese culture. Its principle, however, does not fit well with the recognized structure of Buddhism and Taoism. In religious terms, these heroes cannot be treated as our peers; yet we cannot compare them to deities.

Of all the worshipped Chinese heroes, the most famous is probably General Guan of the Three Kingdoms era. He is often depicted as a crimson-faced, long-bearded man with a pole-like blade weapon. Even today, his figurine is frequently found in Chinese retail outlets. Next time, when you enter a Chinese restaurant, see if you can find him!

Tin-Yu Lam

Hong Kong