Chapter 10 Between the Sacred and the Secular
Zhanjiang Daoshi and the Religious Economy
In: Shades of Gray in the Changing Religious Markets of ChinaSearch for other papers by Jun in
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Abstract
This chapter describes how the market for Daoist priests and the performance of ritual activities in Zhanjiang, Guangdong has been commodified in recent years. The analysis presented here highlights the benefits and limitations of market theory in trying to understand the complex interplay of religious practice and profit. Through the examination of theoretical frameworks as well as specific cases, this chapter proposes a new interpretive model for the religious market. Rather than simply regarding the behavior of both lay believers and religious specialists as driven by a singular and unchanging religious need, this study adopts a model that considers the “secular-sacred” duality in religious behavior. This framework helps illuminate the complexity, as well as the social consequences, of devotional practices in daily life.