Two Spirit Mediums, an Underworld deity and 'the drunken monk', Jigong - Spirit Mediums 1

In Chinese religion in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, the vast majority of people follow what has been called Chinese folk religion / popular religion or vernacular religion. These are based on traditions passed down through the generations rather than through religious texts. Containing deities from the Taoist, Buddhist, Imperial and Folk pantheons, it is a spirit medium centric tradition where devotees consult their deities through spirit mediums (tang-ki) who are in trance possession states. In the vernacular tradition, consulting deities in anthropomorphic statue form or embodied through their spirit mediums is an ordinary practice, much in the same manner as attending liturgical religious services in ‘world religions’. Both the individual and congregational approaches are fundamental to the way in which humans interact with their God(s), as is the intention to change material or emotional circumstances through their deities intervention. This photograph was taken in Singapore. The spirit medium with the light tube piercing had a battery attached to his belt, and would plug in the wires each time he arrived at a new temple (we visited 11 temples that day), and unplug the lamp while travelling between temples.