The Flying Phoenix : Aspects of Chinese Sectarianism in Taiwan

Anthropologist David Jordan and Daniel Overmyer, a historian of religions, present a joint analysis of the most important group of sectarian religious societies in contemporary Taiwan: those that engage in automatic writing seances, or worship by means of the phoenix" writing implement. Originally published in 1986. The **Princeton Legacy Library** uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. Anthropologist David Jordan and Daniel Overmyer, a historian of religions, present a joint analysis of the most important group of sectarian religious societies in contemporary Taiwan: those that engage in automatic writing seances, or worship by means of the phoenix" writing implement. Originally published in 1986. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A PERSONAL INTRODUCTION A PERSONAL INTRODUCTION 1. OVERVIEW AND CONCLUSIONS 2. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND! POPULAR RELIGIOUS SECTS IN CHINA AND TAIWAN 3. BACKGROUND OF THE Chi 4. CASE STUDY I: HISTORY OF THE HALL OF THE WONDROUS DHARMA 5. PAPERS OF THE HALL OF THE WONDROUS DHARMA 6. CASE STUDY II: THE COMPASSION SOCIETY, A BRIEF HISTORY 7. A COMPASSION SOCIETY LOCAL BRANCH HALL: A POLITICAL FIELD 8. SOME COMPASSION SOCIETY BELIEVERS 9. CASE STUDY III: THE UNITY SECT (I-kuan Tao) 10. WRITINGS OF THE UNITY SECT 11. CONCLUSIONS APPENDICES WORKS CITED INDEX