灰仙(xian)(xian)是“五(wu)大(da)仙(xian)(xian)”之一被中國(guo)民間(jian)百(bai)姓供奉。“五(wu)大(da)仙(xian)(xian)”又叫(jiao)“五(wu)大(da)家”或“五(wu)顯(xian)財神(shen)”,分別指:狐(hu)仙(xian)(xian)(狐(hu)貍)、黃仙(xian)(xian)(黃鼠狼)、白仙(xian)(xian)(刺猬)、柳仙(xian)(xian)(蛇)和灰仙(xian)(xian)(老鼠)。
因此,中(zhong)國民間(jian)許多家(jia)(jia)庭中(zhong)都供(gong)奉五大家(jia)(jia)。供(gong)奉的方法有兩種(zhong):一種(zhong)是(shi)在家(jia)(jia)中(zhong)的佛(fo)堂(tang)、祖先堂(tang)旁邊(bian)供(gong)全(quan)神(shen)(shen)(shen)像(xiang),全(quan)神(shen)(shen)(shen)像(xiang)包括九位神(shen)(shen)(shen)靈,即(ji)增(zeng)福(fu)(fu)財神(shen)(shen)(shen)、福(fu)(fu)、祿、壽三星及五大家(jia)(jia),分三排順序排列。五大家(jia)(jia)的形象都是(shi)人(ren)像(xiang),慈眉善目(mu),除白(bai)仙被附會為(wei)白(bai)老太太的女人(ren)形象外(wai),其余4位都是(shi)男像(xiang),穿(chuan)官服,帶暖帽,顏色為(wei)灰藍或石(shi)青等(deng)。
白仙(xian)(xian)穿裙子(zi),鳳(feng)冠霞(xia)帔,十分漂亮;另一(yi)種供(gong)奉(feng)方法是(shi)在院中角落蓋“仙(xian)(xian)家(jia)(jia)(jia)樓(lou)”,供(gong)奉(feng)五大(da)(da)家(jia)(jia)(jia)牌位。仙(xian)(xian)家(jia)(jia)(jia)樓(lou)是(shi)木制的(de)(de)3尺多(duo)寬、2尺多(duo)高(gao)的(de)(de)廟宇(yu)模(mo)型。做工(gong)與真實廟宇(yu)相差無幾(ji),有房脊、溢(yi)廊(lang)等,前面還有4扇門。五大(da)(da)家(jia)(jia)(jia)的(de)(de)牌位就(jiu)供(gong)在里面,而且把供(gong)品也放(fang)在仙(xian)(xian)家(jia)(jia)(jia)樓(lou)里。人們(men)在仙(xian)(xian)家(jia)(jia)(jia)樓(lou)下做一(yi)個木托,高(gao)半尺左(zuo)右,托上部與仙(xian)(xian)家(jia)(jia)(jia)樓(lou)連接處挖(wa)(wa)有一(yi)個圓(yuan)孔,在托的(de)(de)側面也挖(wa)(wa)一(yi)個圓(yuan)孔,目的(de)(de)是(shi)便(bian)(bian)于五大(da)(da)家(jia)(jia)(jia)們(men)享受食物供(gong)品,出(chu)入方便(bian)(bian)。
在五大家的(de)崇(chong)拜中,中國民間對其中的(de)狐仙、黃(huang)仙和白仙更為敬畏,關(guan)于他們的(de)靈跡傳說也(ye)頗(po)多,將(jiang)他們附會為胡三(san)太(tai)爺、黃(huang)二大爺、白老太(tai)太(tai)。
灰仙就是老(lao)(lao)鼠(shu)(shu)(shu),俗稱耗(hao)子,一種嚙齒(chi)動物,體(ti)形有(you)(you)(you)大(da)有(you)(you)(you)小。種類多,有(you)(you)(you)450多種,數量(liang)大(da),有(you)(you)(you)幾十億只,而(er)(er)且繁殖很快,生命(ming)力很強,幾乎(hu)什么都吃,什么地方都能住。老(lao)(lao)鼠(shu)(shu)(shu)會(hui)打(da)洞、上(shang)樹,會(hui)爬山、涉水,對(dui)(dui)人(ren)類危害(hai)極大(da)。而(er)(er)對(dui)(dui)老(lao)(lao)鼠(shu)(shu)(shu)的(de)崇拜是因為(wei)(wei)它晝伏夜(ye)出活(huo)動于(yu)黑暗之中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),令人(ren)莫測(ce)其(qi)(qi)蹤跡,因而(er)(er)被認(ren)(ren)為(wei)(wei)有(you)(you)(you)很高的(de)智慧而(er)(er)被神(shen)化。還(huan)(huan)有(you)(you)(you)的(de)將其(qi)(qi)視(shi)為(wei)(wei)倉神(shen),在中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)民間(jian)填倉節時祭(ji)祀。另(ling)有(you)(you)(you)認(ren)(ren)為(wei)(wei)鼠(shu)(shu)(shu)能預知未來,會(hui)算卦(gua),也能使人(ren)致富,故又將其(qi)(qi)視(shi)為(wei)(wei)財神(shen),希(xi)求它在黑暗中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)為(wei)(wei)主(zhu)人(ren)家運來財寶。中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)民間(jian)還(huan)(huan)把鼠(shu)(shu)(shu)的(de)世界想象同(tong)人(ren)世間(jian)一樣,創造了許多中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)民間(jian)故事和藝(yi)(yi)術作(zuo)品,其(qi)(qi)中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)在楊柳青(qing)年畫、泥人(ren)張(zhang)彩塑及剪紙(zhi)等藝(yi)(yi)術作(zuo)品中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)都有(you)(you)(you)《老(lao)(lao)鼠(shu)(shu)(shu)嫁(jia)女》、《老(lao)(lao)鼠(shu)(shu)(shu)娶親》等作(zuo)品流傳于(yu)世。