臨清在明清時期是大運河沿岸的重要城市,碧霞元君信仰在該地區發展的歷史較為久遠。最早的碧霞宮創建于元代開鑿的會通河旁邊,隨著臨清城的營建以及城市的發展,位于磚城以西、運河以北的碧霞宮在明中葉以來得到復興,成為當地的社區性祭祀中心。為了保障漕運安全,明王朝另置大批屯戍之兵于城郊運河兩岸的鄉村,加上地方鄉紳耆老的主導作用,明后期萬歷年間在土城郊區發展出兩處新的祭祀中心。明后期崇禎年間,臨清城郊的歇馬廳作為跨地域的儀式活動中心和宗教認同標志,吸引了來自華北各地的士紳、商人及香會組織,成為凝聚各種社會力量的信仰中心。歇馬廳朝拜場域的最終形成,表明通過民間宗教的形式能夠形成一種社會的基本聯結。

Linqing was an important city along the Grand Canal in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.The belief of Bixia Yuanjun has a long history in this area.The earliest Bixia Palace was built near Huitong River,which was excavated in the Yuan Dynasty.With the construction of Linqing City and the development of it,the Bixia Palace,located to the west of the Brick City and north of the Canal,has been revived since the middle of the Ming Dynasty and has become the sacrificial center of local community.In order to ensure the safety of water transport,the Ming Dynasty set up a large number of garrison troops in the countryside on both sides of the canal in the suburbs of the city.With the leading role of the local gentry,two new sacrificial centers were developed in the suburbs of Tucheng during the Wanli regime in the late Ming Dynasty.During the Chongzhen regime in the late Ming Dynasty,the Xiema Hall in the suburbs of Linqing,as a cross-regional ceremonial activity center and a symbol of religious identity,attracted gentry,businessmen and incense associations from all parts of North China,and became a belief center that connected various social forces.The eventual formation of the Xiema Hall pilgrimage area shows that a basic social connection can be formed through the form of folk religion.