| QUOTE |
| Bros, Have u read this book? Some qutoes for yr comments. Page 11: A religion of peasant people “Because tangki worship was a religion of the common people, the literati, schooled in rationalism, disdained those notions of magic. This attitude has percolated through the ages so that till today tangki worship is dismissed as mixin (迷信), superstitious, a term rich with its suggestion of bewilderment through fakery.” Page 15: A people’s religion “Tangki worship evolved within the communities of peasant people. The practice is less a religion than congeries of folk cults combining animistic lore, spontaneous expression and borrowed ideas from mainstream religions including Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism.” Page 17: Why investigate tangki worship in Singapore? *“In Singapore today, as it was then in China, tangki worship is regarded as the practice of the illiterate people which the educated elite tolerate, but would have nothing to do with it.” Page 43: The origin of the stories of gods "Religious Taoism grew from a base among the illiterates.” Page 51: The dramatis personae of tang-ki worship – Jigong (the mad monk) “He flouted monastic regulations and loved to eat meat and drink wine. Storytellers would regale listeners with details of the lunatic behavior of the mad monk, such as Jigong’s habit of somersaulting in a manner that revealed his male member to gaping spectators.” Page 53: The dramatis personae of tang-ki worship – Tao Ji Ye Peh (Da Er Ye Bo), Elder and Second Grandpas “Tao Ji Ye Peh are a pair of demons who devotees regard as founts of compassion. " Page 64: Typecasting “The popularity of worship of Elder and Second Grandpas owes much to their dramatic appeal as victims, as well as to the ludic yin-yang appearance of the pair of demons…..to the ‘Laurel and Hardy’ stereotype, appearance is matched by behavior.” Page 114: Chapter 7: Tang-ki worship as communal theatre “Tang-ki theatre provides ritualized forms of entertainment for its community of devotees, solace for those in needs, a way to earn a living for mediums and suppliers of religious goods and services.” Page 118: The social dynamics of tang-ki worship cults “Men…would not pray daily since the routine of everyday prayers is a woman’s duty…” Pages 112 - 113: Tang-ki cults as a fringe groups “The drumming and cymbal clashing in the music of tang-ki worship, the burning of joss and spirit money, the esoteric trance routines and the crowds that gather,…..serve to make the worship a nuisance to, and unpopular among non-believers.” Page 113: Established temples reject tang-kis “It is difficult to tell the charlantans of tang-kis from true tang-kis, so better not to have any.” Some temples explained. “The reluctance of temple committees to relinquish control to tang-kis is therefore understandable.” Upon this Margaret draws her conclusion that “established temples reject tang-kis”. Page 156: Singapore “Then in China, tang-ki worship was dismissed by the educated elite as the superstitious practice of peasants and unruly elements at the margins of main society, which is how tang-ki worship is viewed in contemporary Singapore. Bros, buay ta han, she talk as if Dao Jiao one cent also not worth. Internet many her supporters. Only saw one site http://wptk.tangkee.com/ set up few days ago talk for us. |