DE-SANCTIFICATION IN FOLK BELIEFS OF CENTRAL VIETNAM: A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON TAOISM-RELATED RITUALS AND MAGIC
Vol. 132 No. 6B (2023), Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
Vol. 132 No. 6B (2023)

DE-SANCTIFICATION IN FOLK BELIEFS OF CENTRAL VIETNAM: A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON TAOISM-RELATED RITUALS AND MAGIC

Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
https://doi.org/10.26459/hueunijssh.v132i6B.7180
Published 2023-09-14
Đăng Hựu Nguyễn
Khoa Lịch Sử- ĐH Khoa học Huế
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Keywords

de-sanctification, sacred, ritual, magic, Vietnam Central folk beliefs

Abstract

This article examines the nature and dynamics of de-sanctification in Central Vietnamese folk beliefs through certain rituals and magic practices related to Taoism. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study investigates the de-sanctification of worship, purification of impurities, and dissolution of spiritual relationships with supernatural forces to gain insights into the nature and dynamics of the sacred within the Central region's folk beliefs. This article highlights that the essence of the sacred is grounded in the relationship between physical or human forms and supernatural forces, and that de-sanctification is the act of changing or dissolving social links in folk religious beliefs. Through analyzing the rituals and magic involved, the article not only showcases the influence of Taoism in folk beliefs but also reveals their social function and role in providing spiritual security for the Vietnamese people in the Central region.

https://doi.org/10.26459/hueunijssh.v132i6B.7180
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