Spirit Mediums
The living who speak for the dead — shamans, mediums, and spirit possession in Chinese culture
5 articles
Modern Spirit Mediums in Taiwan: Where Gods Still Talk Through People
Taiwan has more active spirit mediums per capita than anywhere else on earth. In a society with universal healthcare and high-speed internet, the gods are...
Shamanism in Chinese Folk Religion: The Original Spirit Workers
Before Daoism, before Buddhism, before Confucius — there were the wu, the shamans who danced between worlds.
Spirit Mediums in Chinese Culture: The Living Who Speak for the Dead
Spirit mediums — people who claim to channel the dead — have been part of Chinese culture for three thousand years.
Spirit Writing: Fuji Divination and Messages from the Gods
For centuries, Chinese communities have received messages from deities through a Y-shaped stick that writes in sand.
The Tongji: Spirit Mediums of Southeast Asia's Chinese Communities
In Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, Chinese spirit mediums pierce their cheeks with skewers, speak in tongues, and dispense advice from the gods.