Tradisi Chau Tu di Yayasan Marga Raja dalam Tradisi Buddhisme Mahayana: Kajian Antropolinguistik

Abstract

Chau Tu ceremony is a religious and cultural tradition in Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes ancestral reverence through the transference of merit. This tradition continues to be practiced by the Chinese community at Yayasan Marga Raja in North Sumatra. This study focuses on three key concepts from Duranti’s anthropolinguistic theory, performance, indexicality, and participation as reflected in the Chau Tu ceremony. Using ethnographic methods, data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation. The findings show that Chau Tu is a ritual of merit transfer for both recent and long-deceased ancestors, with the aim of releasing them from worldly attachment and helping them attain better rebirth. From the Suhu's perspective, the ceremony involves altar preparation, paritta chanting, merit dedication and closure, from the family's perspective, participation includes offering preparations and prayer. Each ritual element carries indexical meaning and reflects filial piety through active participation. Understanding this meaning is crucial to preserving Chinese cultural identity in Indonesia.