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10 Anxi Chenghuangmiao and cultural flows of local mythology

Abstract

Relocating to China, Chapter 10 centres on Anxi Chenghuangmiao. The temple’s early history and its 1990 relocation from Anxi city centre to the Fengshan Scenic Tourism Area above the graves of Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu are critically investigated, as are its atypical Tua Di Ya Pek mythologies. Analysed in context of the invention and commoditisation of tradition and of China’s changing cultural policies, Anxi Chenghuangmiao’s reinvention is associated with self-perpetuating its own City God tradition, and to Tua Di Ya Pek’s recent overseas popularisation. Continuing this line of enquiry, the chapter concludes by describing the opening of a new annex in front of Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu’s graves, an annex first conceptualised in Klang, Malaysia, and evaluating the contestation of meaning and counterclaims to provenance of the new ritual site.

Abstract

Relocating to China, Chapter 10 centres on Anxi Chenghuangmiao. The temple’s early history and its 1990 relocation from Anxi city centre to the Fengshan Scenic Tourism Area above the graves of Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu are critically investigated, as are its atypical Tua Di Ya Pek mythologies. Analysed in context of the invention and commoditisation of tradition and of China’s changing cultural policies, Anxi Chenghuangmiao’s reinvention is associated with self-perpetuating its own City God tradition, and to Tua Di Ya Pek’s recent overseas popularisation. Continuing this line of enquiry, the chapter concludes by describing the opening of a new annex in front of Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu’s graves, an annex first conceptualised in Klang, Malaysia, and evaluating the contestation of meaning and counterclaims to provenance of the new ritual site.

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of plates and figures vii
  4. Series editors’ foreword ix
  5. Preface and acknowledgements x
  6. List of abbreviations xv
  7. Introduction 1
  8. Part I: Setting the scene
  9. 1 The modern Underworld tradition 15
  10. 2 Analysis 21
  11. 3 The historical development of Underworld cosmology 32
  12. Plates 1
  13. Part II: The Underworld tradition in Singapore
  14. 4 Yu Feng Nan Fu Xuanshan Miao 41
  15. 5 A new Underworld God of Wealth, and foetus assistance rituals in Singapore 62
  16. 6 Lunar Seventh Month 83
  17. Part III: The Underworld tradition in Malaysia
  18. 7 Malaysia and the party spirit 113
  19. 8 Seventh Month rituals in southern Malaysia 141
  20. 9 Seventh Month rituals in central Malaysia 164
  21. Part IV: Tracing the origins of the modern Underworld tradition
  22. 10 Anxi Chenghuangmiao and cultural flows of local mythology 189
  23. 11 Penang 202
  24. 12 Analysis and conclusions 214
  25. Appendix of Chinese names 230
  26. References 237
  27. Index 244
Voices from the Underworld
This chapter is in the book Voices from the Underworld
https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526140586.00022

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of plates and figures vii
  4. Series editors’ foreword ix
  5. Preface and acknowledgements x
  6. List of abbreviations xv
  7. Introduction 1
  8. Part I: Setting the scene
  9. 1 The modern Underworld tradition 15
  10. 2 Analysis 21
  11. 3 The historical development of Underworld cosmology 32
  12. Plates 1
  13. Part II: The Underworld tradition in Singapore
  14. 4 Yu Feng Nan Fu Xuanshan Miao 41
  15. 5 A new Underworld God of Wealth, and foetus assistance rituals in Singapore 62
  16. 6 Lunar Seventh Month 83
  17. Part III: The Underworld tradition in Malaysia
  18. 7 Malaysia and the party spirit 113
  19. 8 Seventh Month rituals in southern Malaysia 141
  20. 9 Seventh Month rituals in central Malaysia 164
  21. Part IV: Tracing the origins of the modern Underworld tradition
  22. 10 Anxi Chenghuangmiao and cultural flows of local mythology 189
  23. 11 Penang 202
  24. 12 Analysis and conclusions 214
  25. Appendix of Chinese names 230
  26. References 237
  27. Index 244
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