Peripheral Discord? On the Study of Non-Han Religious Life and its Methodological Implications

Date(s)： 2021/09/30

Time： 10:00~12:00

Venue： Archives 1st Conference Hall

Speaker：Prof. Paul R. Katz (Distinguished research fellow)

Disscussant： Prof. Chiang, Chu-Shan (National Central University Graduate Institute of History )

Organizer： IMH

視訊會議連結：https://asmeet.webex.com/asmeet/j.php?MTID=mf08b34894fe914ceb88242c880ebdb49
    會議號： 2512 397 1730
    密碼： VM5937493Q
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英文摘要：
This presentation explores how gender and ethnicity have shaped the interaction between Daoism and Miao ritual traditions in Western Hunan. The data presented reveal that interaction between Han and non-Han religious cultures was characterized not only by the deliberate transmission of doctrine and liturgy, but also the persistence of indigenous beliefs and practices, a phenomenon defined as “trans-hybridity”. One key facet of trans-hybridity is gender, including powerful goddesses worshipped for their ability to exorcise demonic forces as well as the continued influence of female mediums whose practices flourish despite persistent anti-superstition campaigns. This presentation also endeavors to transcend previous scholarship on Western Hunan that has stressed the impact of state policies and elite agendas, focusing instead on the roles played by ritual specialists. Such findings call into question conventional wisdom about the “standardization” of Chinese culture, the village quartet, temple-centric society, etc.

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