1. The Origin and Development of Wenchang Ancient Books Wenchang ancient books are ancient books that record Wenchang culture. They are attached to Emperor Wenchang and are well-known at home and abroad. Wenchang culture originated in Zitong and began in the late Eastern Jin Dynasty. According to legend, Zhang Yazi, a Diqiang man from Yuexi, killed the magistrate of Qiongdu County to avenge his mother. Later, he fled to Qiqu Mountain in Zitong with his family for refuge. Later, he served as a general in the Jin Dynasty. During his lifetime, he had contacts with Yao Chang, who established the emperor of the Later Qin Dynasty. After his death, the Diqiang people mourned and built a temple in Qiqu Mountain to worship him. In the process of worshiping the god Yazi, a large number of myths and legends emerged, and the ancient custom of worshiping the primitive totems of the Diqiang people appeared. At the same time, the Shanban Temple was built to worship the god Yazi, and the buds of sacrifice began to appear. It was also the beginning of temple fair culture. This was the initial stage of the formation of Wenchang culture. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, Taoism became the state religion, and "teaching according to the way of gods" was a common method used by feudal emperors. Emperor Taizong of Tang inherited the policy of "suppressing the Liao" since the Eastern Jin Dynasty. After gaining power in the country, the "Liao" people who were suppressed by force still maintained their own strength in the basin and mountainous areas, and the Zitong God and others were the spiritual symbols of the Ba Liao. In order to use the Zitong God to protect themselves, the feudal rulers turned the Zitong God into the royal Taoist god during the ruling period. When Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Li Longji went to Shu during the "Anshi Rebellion" and passed through Qiqu Mountain in Zitong, he claimed that he had the protection of the Zitong God, so he conferred Zhang Yazi as the "Left Prime Minister". Emperor Xizong of Tang went to Shu and followed the example of the previous emperor. He conferred Zhang Yazi as the "King of Jishun", promised that the Zitong God Zhang Yazi would marry Princess Xingtang, and also took off his sword and hung it in the temple to win him over. This was entirely to use the spirit of Zhang Yazi to stabilize the Jiannan area and protect Xijing (Chengdu). In the Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Taizu of Song pacified Hou Shu and used Bashu as a rear material supply base to support its full resistance against the Jin. Therefore, the feudal emperors of the Song Dynasty still relied on the Zitong God Zhang Yazi to stabilize Bashu. Emperor Zhenzong of Song, Zhao Heng, conferred the title of "Yingxianwuliewang" on Zhang Yazi, Emperor Gaozong of Song, Zhao Gou, conferred the title of "Shenwenshengwuxiaodezhongrenwang" on Zhang Yazi, and Lizhong of Song, Zhao Jun, conferred the title of "Zhongwenyingwuxiaoderenshengwang" on Zhang Yazi. For the first time, the court designated the function of Zitong God Wenyun in the imperial examination. Zitong Emperor Zhang Yazi was continuously conferred titles, and Taoism also seized the opportunity to confer the title of Wenchang Emperor on Zhang Yazi, in charge of the world's official records, making him the god who dominated the imperial examination culture of the entire nation. Buddhism was unwilling to lag behind, and also said that Emperor Zhang Yazi of Zitong practiced Yinzhi widely, based on loyalty and filial piety, benefiting people and things, and achieved the fruit of heaven and earth after thirty merits. Later, due to past sins, he returned to the Tathagata from Shu and was granted the title of "Achievement of Fruit Dinghui Wang Bodhisattva" by the Tathagata. Later, he was granted the title of "Brahma Town Tathagata" and "Achieve Peace and Bliss Immovable Land Play Samadhi Wang Bodhisattva" and "Shakya Brahma Achieve Tathagata". Since the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the court stipulated that all schools in the world should build Wenchang Palace. Every year on the third day of the second lunar month, students from all over the country would hold a Wenchang meeting in the local Wenchang Palace, and local officials would also participate in the sacrificial activities. During the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty, the worship of Wenchang was included in the national festival, and it was worshipped like Confucius. Ordinary people also put Wenchang on the shrine, and listed it with the heaven, earth, monarch, parents and teachers, and enjoyed incense and sacrifice. Emperor Zhang Yazi of Zitong was respected by Taoism, worshipped by Confucian scholars and literati, and was granted the title of Buddha Sakyamuni, and truly became a great god respected by Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. During its evolution, followers of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism used religious theological methods such as Fu Luan and Jiang Bi to propagate their own doctrines and educate people through the mouth of the Emperor. During the Qiandao period of the Southern Song Dynasty, Liu Ansheng, a Taoist priest in Shu, pretended to be "Tianzun" to publicize his own work "Taishang Wuji Zongzhen Wenchang Dadong Xianjing", and the first Wenchang scripture appeared. Until the eighth year of Chunxi in the Southern Song Dynasty (1181), Liu Ansheng repeatedly pretended to be "divinely granted" and launched scriptures such as "Dadong Fa" and "Dadong Lu", "Qinghe Neichuan", "Wenchang Huashu", and "Gaoshang Dadong Wenchang Silu Ziyang Baolu". Liu Ansheng was the first person to write books for Emperor Wenchang. After that, professional believers followed Liu Ansheng's example and compiled Wenchang scriptures under the pretext of Emperor Wenchang's writing. According to statistics, there are nearly 100 kinds of Wenchang classics, books, and writings, with more than 2 million words, covering philosophy, history, literature, architecture, sculpture, music, painting, medicine, folklore, religion, etc., with extensive and profound content. These writings were also printed in woodcuts and spread at home and abroad. To date, there are still more than 50 woodcut fragments from the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty in the Zitong Cultural Relics Management Office. 2. The content and value of Wenchang ancient books The content of Wenchang cultural ancient books includes persuading good and punishing evil, helping the poor in times of crisis, accumulating virtue and cultivating oneself, governing the country with virtue, governing the world with justice, and governing the family with filial piety, etc., involving religion, medicine, drama, music, literature, morality, folklore and many other aspects. It is a great book that can systematically publicize the connotation of Wenchang cultural thought. It provides a valuable textual basis for later research on the imperial examination culture, good deeds culture, folk culture, religious beliefs, etc. in the Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing and even the Republic of China. Among the more than 100 ancient books on Wenchang culture, the main works that best reflect the connotation of Wenchang culture include "Wenchang Dadong Xianjing", "Wenchang Emperor Yinzhiwen", "Wenchang Emperor Complete Book", "Wenchang Emperor Merits and Demerits", "Wenchang Dadong Xianjing Notes" and nearly 10 other works. 3. The spread and influence of Wenchang ancient books With the combination of Zitong Emperor Zhang Yazi and the Wenchang star in the sky, the worship of Wenchang Emperor has further spread from the local to the whole country. Since the Song and Yuan Dynasties, many books such as "Wenchang Emperor Yinzhiwen", "Wenchang Dadong Xianjing", "Wenchang Filial Piety Sutra" and so on, which were compiled and taught in the name of Wenchang Emperor, have been widely circulated. These scriptures not only have a wide influence in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, but also have crossed the oceans and spread abroad. Information source: Mianyang Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center Information source: Mianyang Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center