The Nine Emperor Gods: A Study of Chinese Spirit-medium Cults

According altar Ampang believed blessing body bridge bridge-crossing bring Buddhist Bushel carried ceremony charms Chinese Confucian considered cross cult culture dance deities devotees Divine Divine Nine dragon Earth Eight Trigrams elements evil spirits example existence expression fact festival fire firewalking five followed four give gold gong ground hand harmony Heaven Hence human important incense-papers individual involved Jiuhuangye joss-sticks kind kneeling lamp lighted live luck luck-preserving magic Malay Malaysia manifested Marshal meaning medium nature Nine Emperor Gods observed offering organizing participants pattern peace performed person position priest procession propitiation purification pyre refers relationship religion religious represented respect rite ritual seal shen signifies Singapore social society sometimes soul spirit-medium stands star symbols takes Taoist temple Tian traditional universe usually vegetarian whole worshippers yellow