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

Ampang Beidou believed blessing bodhisattvas bridge-crossing and firewalking Buddhist burning charm-papers charms Confucian cross the bridge culture devotees divination rituals Divine Nine divining blocks Doumu dragon Eight Trigrams Emperor Gods festival Emperor Gods temples evil spirits fire firewalking ceremony ghosts gold incense-papers Guanyin handbell Hence human ill-luck involved Jiuhuangye festival Jiuhuangye spirit-medium joss-sticks kneeling Kuala Lumpur lion dance luck luck-opening rite luck-preserving rite magic Malay Malaysia meaning medium Nantian Gong Nine Divine Nine Emperor Gods Nine Star Gods offering and sacrifice palanquin participants Penang performed prayer-sheets propitiation relationship religious represented ritual complex shen signifies Singapore Sky Deity's altar social soul Southern Bushel spirit cult spirit-deities spirit-medium spirit-medium cult spirit-mediumship spirit-soldiers star deity star lords symbols Tall Lamp Taoist Taoist priests temple ground temple organizers Thailand thanks-offering rite Third Prince Tian Tianguan traditional trance dance trance rituals vegetarian worship and divination worshippers yellow yin and yang