Fuzhen Kanban I

The long, drooping flag you see here is called a long banner. "Banner" and "flag" have the same meaning and are the general term for banners. It consists of two parts, namely the banner pole and the banner. The banner pole is a kind of Taoist architecture, also known as the flagpole. It is usually set on both sides of the main gate of a temple and is hung during Taoist festivals or major events. In Chinese history, the use of banners was ancient and widespread, often used to represent a certain thing. It is recorded that "a flag is a symbol, thus indicating its center." During the Tang and Song dynasties, to celebrate the arrival of spring, people would wear colorful flags made of paper-cut or silk on the day of the Start of Spring to welcome the arrival of spring, which became a popular custom at that time. Later, it was applied to taverns, tea houses, inns, shops and so on, nothing more than indicating the core content of their business. Because the banner, like the talismans used in ancient courts, served as a token and token, after being adopted by Taoism, it was mainly used to enhance the solemnity of sacrificial altars and halls. It is said that it also had the functions of inviting deities, turning misfortune into fortune, repenting and cultivating virtue, and transforming evil into good.