Chapter 16 A Motley Phoenix? On the Diversity of Spirit-Writing Temples and Their Practices in Puli, Taiwan
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Abstract
This paper draws on secondary scholarship as well as my own historical and ethnographic research to assess the impact spirit-writing temples exerted on communal life based on a case study of the town of Puli 埔里 (located in Nantou 南投 County, central Taiwan). While spirit-writing rites are occasionally performed at some local temples, as well as by redemptive societies, this paper focuses on sacred sites known as “phoenix halls” (luantang 鸞堂). The core theme of this study is that of diversity, including: 1) Discrepancies among phoenix hall membership, especially in terms of gender; 2) Variations in members’ activities, which include not only spirit-writing but also other rituals for self-cultivation and healing as well as philanthropy, publishing, etc.; 3) Differences in practice by time period and geographic area. In short, this study suggests that while spirit-writing constitutes a core phoenix hall activity, it is hardly the sole practice that binds their membership together. The paper’s structure is as follows: I begin with a review of previous scholarship on Taiwanese phoenix halls and their activities. Next is the case study of Puli phoenix halls, followed by the paper’s conclusion