温州的杨府爷，乃是本土俗神体系中最具影响力的地方神之一，其庙宇遍布各地，朝拜者如织。根据杨府爷信仰集中在不同地域，我们可以将位于海岛、近海或临江之地的杨府爷庙划分为“临海(江河)信仰区”，其中以洞头渔港、瑞安碧山以及苍南江南坪等地的杨府庙最具有代表性。此外，在山地平原地区，如瑞安市桐浦、碧山、陶山等地也存有十分广泛的杨府爷信仰，我们可以称之为“山地平原信仰区”。

关于杨府爷的生平及来历，在诸多地方文献中均有记载，如《光绪乐清县志》、《苍南县志》和《洞头县志》。这些文献记载了他的出世传说，以及他如何在唐太宗时人，与七子一同拔宅飞升成仙。

图为瑞安陶山第二十八福地福泉观内所供奉的杨府爷

作为水神或海神，最初杨府爷主要职能是护卫渔事。在科技落后的过去，渔民们借助民间信仰祈求出海平安、渔猎丰盛。如瑞安境内流传着一则《大显神威杨府王，东海救民保安康》的故事。

在山地平原地区，由于民众多以农耕种植为主要生产方式，因而杨府爷的神职功能也发生了变化，他成为了调剂风雨的农业之神。在这些地区，Yang Fu Gao's worship activities are mainly focused on praying for a bountiful harvest and local peace. The worship activities in these areas include "拦垟福" (a ceremony to pray for a bumper harvest) and "坐刀轿" (a performance where Yang Fu Gao's disciples sit on a bed of knives).

From these worship activities, we can determine that they are the result of people's long-term agricultural life and have become an absolute technique and custom. Through performing "坐刀轿", not only does it entertain the gods but also expresses people's reverence for Yang Fu Gao.

As the economy of Wenzhou develops, people now mainly engage in business with agriculture and fishing as their main economic sources gradually weakening. With this change, Yang Fu Gao's sea god faith and agricultural god faith have gradually faded away. Modern people have added many additional divine functions to Yang Fu Gao such as seeking wealth, children, education, jobs, peace of mind etc., expanding his divine functions to all aspects of people's lives.

The repeated transformation of Yang Fu Gao’s divine functions perfectly illustrates that his folk beliefs have a very broad foundation and are worth passing down from generation to generation as part of cultural heritage.