Social Changes in a Fishing Village from the Perspective of Changes in Food Offerings in the Langya Sea Worship Ceremony, Shandong, China

Abstract

This research aims to study the changes in food offerings in the Langya Sea Worship Ceremony and to analyze the impact of social transformations in the fishing village on these offerings. The study is based on the theoretical frameworks of cultural materialism and cultural symbolism. The research employs both documentary analysis and fieldwork conducted in Langya Town, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China, involving observation and investigation of the food offerings used in the sea worship ceremony, as well as the changes in the industrial structure of the local fishing village. The findings reveal that the food offerings have continuously changed in response to economic, social, and cultural contexts. Notable characteristics include the integration of land- and sea-based ingredients, flexibility in the selection of ritual offerings, the use of auspicious symbolic representations, and a growing tendency toward utilitarian values. Moreover, these changes reflect the dynamic nature of the belief in the Dragon King, which continues to influence the daily lives of the fishermen, despite adaptations to modern times. This study demonstrates the relationship between folk beliefs and social change, and suggests that while rituals and offerings evolve over time, the belief in the Dragon King persists through its adaptation to changing social contexts.