A grassroot movement believes ancient military men Huo Qubing and Xin Qiji can prevent the pandemic’s return. The CCP has not decided yet how to react.
by Liu Mengyao
One of the countless images of the two generals proliferating in China.
On July 20, China reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases since January, and fear of the virus is becoming widespread again. Many Chinese, however, believe they found a solution to the problem. They called for help General Huo Qubing (霍去病) and General Xin Qiji (辛棄疾).
They are not generals of the People’s Liberation Army with special skills in controlling epidemics. General Huo Qubing lived in the second century BCE, during the Han Dynasty, for which he won decisive battles. General Xin Qiji was born in 1140 and died in 1207, serving the Song Dynasty in war, and finding the time to write beautiful poems. As it happened with other generals, both Huo and Xin were divinized after their death, and are worshiped as deities in folk religion.
Monument to Huo Qubing (center) in Jiuquan, Gansu province (credits).
They had nothing special to do with combating epidemics, but what made them popular are their first names, meaning “Getting rid of diseases,” and “Going beyond the diseases.” This made them health gods, and to this very day thousands queue to touch the statue of Huo Qubing in Wuquan Mountain in Lanzhou City, Gansu province. The statue is reputed for its healing powers—despite the fact that the historical Huo succumbed to an illness at the early age of 23.
Touching the statue of Huo in Wuquan Mountain. From Weibo.
The images of Huo and Xin are depicted on the doors of certain temples, but they compete with other deities and were never the most popular.
Now, with COVID-19, there is a flourishing of the dual Huo-Xin images everywhere. They also appear on the door of private homes, whose owners worship them to be protected from COVID-19.
Theoretically, this is a typical example of the “superstitions” the CCP tries to eradicate, and the Party is especially strict in cracking down on religious healing claims concerning COVID-19. In fact, some local Party officials send police to remove the images, unless they are in government-approved temples.
However, the grassroot movement is so massive that most CCP local leaders prefer not to contrast it. They justify themselves by claiming that Huo and Xin were Chinese patriots and part of Chinese history, pretending to ignore the obvious religious meaning of their images.
Uses a pseudonym for security reasons.
