The Transcendent of the Plate: The Lingji zhimi éä¹©æè¿· (Instructions on the numinous stylus) and the Reform of Spirit-Writing Techniques during the First Half of the Twentieth Century

Chun-wu Fan

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ChapterÂ 6 The Transcendent of the Plate: The Lingji zhimi éä¹©æè¿· (Instructions on the numinous stylus) and the Reform of Spirit-Writing Techniques during the First Half of the Twentieth Century

äºCommunicating with the Gods

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Chun-wu Fan [ç´æ¦ è]

Chun-wu Fan [ç´æ¦ è]
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DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004677906_007

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Abstract

During the Republican period, the reverence for science directly impacted the development of spirit-writing, leading to the creation of the âScientific Numinous Stylusâ (kexue lingji ç§å¸éä¹©), which became popular in the 1930s and is still known as the âtranscendent of the plateâ (diexian ç¢ä»). This technique makes use of a small, white porcelain plate inscribed with an arrow pointing to the rim and placed facing down on a board on which characters were inscribed in concentric circles. In a sÃ©ance, usually three persons lightly placed a finger on the plate and silently prayed for the transcendent to descend. With the arrival of the transcendent, the plate began swirling on its own accord, and the participants could ask their questions. The Transcendent of the Plate shows how techniques of spirit-mediumship changed in response to the necessities of the times and external challenges. Differently from traditional spirit-writing by stylus, the Transcendent of the Plate made use of paper and plate, it was low cost and simple, and was very popular in Shanghai and the Lower Yangzi area. As a result, the technique spread beyond the circles of classically educated gentry to ordinary urban dwellers. The engine that drove both transformations was the print media and book market, which directly and indirectly created the conditions for spreading the new technology through promotion and distribution channels.

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Communicating with the Gods

Spirit-Writing in Chinese History and Society

ä¸ç¼ï¼ Prognostication in History, å·ï¼ 11

ISBN:: 9789004677906

åºçç¤¾:: Brill

å°å·åºçæ¥æ:: 25 Sep 2023

Subjects
- Asian Studies
  - East Asia
  - China
  - Religion
  - Philosophy
- Religious Studies
  - Religion in Asia

Front Matter

Part 1 Overview Papers

Part 2 Changing Techniques and Practices

Part 3 Spirit-Writing and the Literati Elites in Late Imperial China

Part 4 Spirit-Writing and Redemptive Societies

Part 5 Local Communities and Transregional Networks

Back Matter

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ChapterÂ 6 The Transcendent of the Plate: The Lingji zhimi éä¹©æè¿· (Instructions on the numinous stylus) and the Reform of Spirit-Writing Techniques during the First Half of the Twentieth Century

Abstract

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