Ancient Cultures & Religions of Nanjie

Culture / Religion

Written by Fulma02

Introduction

Ancient Nanjiese culture, before the ADE era (from 1000 to 0 BDE), had obscure beginnings and history that were left unexplored. Later invasions and contact with foreign cultures has one way or another impacted Nanjiese cultures and religions, but the underlying forms established during the BDE eras still appear in modern Nanjiese cultures in everything from religion, to traditions, to dress, to writing in characters.

Cultures

Shān rén people

The Shān rén people are known to be attributed to the native people that reside on the northern mountains of Nanjie. In common Nanjiese languages, they are also nicknamed as the Gǔdài gāodì "Ancient heights". The people from these cultures are known to be very religious and spiritual in accordance to their daily lives. As such, shamanic practices are commonplace in their culture, and several rites are performed throughout the lives of these "Mountain people". In addition, they are well known to retain a deep devotion to their roots and ancestors. So as a result, the communities ran by the Shān rén are known to be extremely isolationist and rarely allow passages from outsiders. Due to this isolationism, the Shān rén people retain the record of being the smallest population residing in Nanjie. However, it is worth noting that although they are not very tolerant of people outside of their own, they are not a warmongering culture and commonly seek for peace amongst neighboring communities and societies.

Sēnlín rénlèi people

The Sēnlín rénlèi culture is known to be one of the most ancient and geriatric culture in the entirety of Nanjiese ancient history. Before its gradual decline from 200 BDE onwards, its population used to be the largest in the Nanjie region. Additionally, on the year 20 BDE, the Great Lingdao Event created a unified state and culture that would ultimately lead to the creation of a unified identity named the "Nanjiests". This potent new identity would go on to create the Nanjien Empire, the first unified state in Nanjie's ancient history. Initially, the Sēnlín rénlèi people rejected any forms of assimilation, therefore denying the Lingdao Event completely. After being invaded by the aforementioned Nanjien Empire, a long and grueling conflict started between the newly formed empire and the Sēnlín rénlèi. Identical to the Shan Ren peoples, thee Sēnlín rénlèi society are also are known to possess isolationist ideas, therefore rejecting any forms of assimilation with foreign cultures as well. However, what differs them from the Shān rén, is the fact that the Sēnlín people are known to be a warrior society with lots of its male population being trained in hand-to-hand and melee combat. Up to this day, the Sēnlín rénlèi people, although diwndling in its population, still retain its infamous warrior practices.

Nanjiests

The Nanjiests are the most common and the first truly civilized culture in Nanjie. The Nanjiests are the main culture that represents the Nanjie region with its total population outnumbering other cultures. Up to the modern world, the Nanjiests are still dominating the Nanjie region in terms of the total population. Due to the fact that the Nanjiest culture was the first civilized culture, they were the very first society in the Nanjie region to open up trading with neighboring and foreign countries. This constant trading introduced foreign technologies and cultures, improving the lives of the locals. However, moden historians believe that it is also the same reason that caused the exponential decline of the isolationist cultures previously residing in Nanjie.

Religions

Xìnyǎng zhìgāo zhě

Xìnyǎng zhìgāo zhě (Translation: "faith to the high one.") or more commonly known as Zhugao is one of the biggest faith in Nanjie in terms of number of total followers. Although the religion is known to be animist in essence, the Zhigaoists still do believe in a higher spirit, one that has control over the others. This higher entity is commonly known as the "Zhigao" and is the most mighty of all the spirits in the spirit hierarchy. Common prayers performed by followers of the religion are mainly directed to worship the almighty Zhigao. However, followers are also required to worship the other minor spirits as stated in their holy scroll. Even though it is not the oldest religion in Nanjie, the Zhigao religion takes up most of the religious population in modern Nanjie and has been the dominant religion of the Nanjie region for centuries.

Xìnyǎng jīngshén

Xìnyǎng jīngshén, also known as the Jingshen, is one of the most ancient religion in Nanjie, practiced mostly by the lower class or people living in rural areas. The Jingshenists are also animists and share a belief with the Zhigaoists. However the spiritual hierarchy followed by the Zhigaoists is less significant and sometimes neglectable to most Jingshenists as they don’t see the Zhigao deity as the almighty spirit or as the authority on the other spirits. Throughout the history of Nanjie, there has been a lot of tensions between both religions and in some cases have culminated into wars between the Zhigaoists and the Jinshenists.