Totem as a Sacred in Chinese Culture Modern Tradition

Abstract

In history, the Chinese believed in totems (tuteng 图腾). The totem is a symbol of the ancestors who can protect and prevent disaster. Therefore the totem has an important position in China. The totem is an important part of traditional Chinese culture which represents the human aspiration to drive out evil spirits and achieve a happy life. The totem is a view of life held by the Chinese and is still believed today. This paper will look at the concept of  the totem as a sacred view that is believed in Chinese culture in Bekasi, West Java through a form of the deity’s birthday ceremony of Hian Thian Siang Tee at the Hok Lay Kiong temple. The method used to collect data for the composition of this article is a qualitative method, by conducting observations and in-depth interview with selected informants which is several reliable informants. Observations were made at Hok Lay Kiong  Temple during the preparations and during the deity’s birthday Hian Thian Siang Tee ceremony. In this study, through the ceremony at the Hok Lay Kiong temple the use of totems in the religious practices of Bekasi Chinese people is can be seen. The totem can reflect a sacred manifestation such as in the  use of the Hian Thian Siang Tee flags. At that moment, these objects become sacred because they are used as a means for the medium to carry out the process of changing from profane to sacred. But in ordinary times, when it is not at  ceremonies, these objects are stored and become something profane.