Spirit mediumism in Shaanbei, north-central China

Abstract

Religious life has made a robust comeback in China in the past forty years, especially in the vast countryside. While elite forms of religious life and some sectarian movements are still under the watchful eyes of the state authorities, temple cults and local religious specialists in rural areas are largely left alone. In this context, spirit mediumism has thrived. This chapter examines spirit mediumism in Shaanbei (northern Shaanxi Province) in north-central China (bordering Inner Mongolia to the North), based on interviews, ethnographic fieldwork, and personal experience. We will address a series of related questions, including those that explore the processes of becoming a spirit medium, the relationship between spirit mediums and temple cults, the roles of mediums in the local community, and the attitudes of past and current political regimes towards spirit mediumism.

Topics & Concepts