The Importance of Spiritual Ecology in the Qingyuan Forest Mushroom Co-Cultivation System

Abstract

The ecological value encapsulated in the term “spiritual ecology” is drawing more and more attention from ethnology, folklore, ecology, and other related disciplines. The custom of respecting and pacifying forest spirits has distinct regional and ethnic characteristics, and many scholars have discovered samples from different studies around the world. Qingyuan County, located in the mountainous region of southwest Zhejiang, is a very typical case of the practice of respecting and pacifying forest spirits. The mushroom-cultivation technology invented by the chthonic people there more than 900 years ago made this the global birthplace of artificial mushroom cultivation. The Qingyuan Forest–Mushroom Co-cultivation System (QFMCS) has been listed as an important agricultural heritage system by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Beijing, China and a candidate project by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy for Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). Additionally, the QFMCS is currently an important part of the Baishanzu National Park under construction. The authors made an in-depth field study in the mountainous areas of Qingyuan and used theoretical methods of ecology, anthropology, and folklore to reveal the function spiritual ecology plays in ecological conservation, forest protection, identity, and the maintenance of community interests. In the “traditional-modern” transformation of Qingyuan County, the practice of respecting and pacifying the Spirits is still being propagated, resulting in expansion and social cohesion.

[Retracted] The Dialectic and Coupling of Three Paradigms in the Process of Art Rural Construction: Environment, Culture, and Industry

“…The early public art did not establish a connection with the countryside but appeared in cities, especially large cities, such as the cities that prevailed in the United States and European countries in the middle of the twentieth century, and then spread around the world [ 8 ]. In the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, China is committed to narrowing the gap between urban and rural dual structures and accelerating the pace of rural revitalization.…”

Animistic Customs and Practices, Attribution of Animistic Essence to Objects, and Environmentalism in an Upland Rural Community in Labo, Camarines Norte, Philippines

“…These findings led the researchers to conclude that the hypothesis stating that there is no significant relationship between animistic customs and practices and environmentalism was partially upheld. [2,15,6,20,32,39,42,44,45,46,49,54] by demonstrating significant relationships and positive correlations between specific animistic customs and environmentalism. These findings support the established notion that animist communities revere nature and strive for balance between human activity and ecological abundance (Harvey, 2019; Kopnina, 2019) [19,24] .…”

“…This research suggests that animism presents a comprehensive and ethical framework for comprehending and tackling environmental challenges. Animistic beliefs endow all things with spirit, sentience, and even personhood, fostering a deep sense of connection and responsibility towards the natural world, interwoven with the interconnectedness of the cosmos (Honegger, 2015;Kopnina, 2019;Sadowski, 2020;Zhu et al, 2022) [20,24,44,54] . This profound respect motivates animistic communities to coexist harmoniously with their environment, adopting sustainable practices that ensure ecological balance.…”