Gods, Ghosts, \u0026 Ancestors: Folk Religion in A Taiwanese Village by David K. Jordan

Gods, Ghosts, \u0026 Ancestors: Folk Religion in A Taiwanese Village Reviews

• 
  Joe C

  This book is way more approachable than I had expected it to be.
  
  He introduces us to the Divination chair which is sat in by a god and hoisted aloft by 'illiterates'.
  He explains the hierarchies of gods and ghosts and how one might become a god with some creative haunting. He explains the 'tang-ki' or divine boys who become vessels for the gods.
  
  It taught me quite a lot about the lesser-known (and not well-advertized) beliefs and practices in Taiwan's own version of Daoism. Upon my own personal discoveries, I have found that despite being written in the 1960s many of the practices described in the book are alive and well today. Though, most Taiwanese don't know the things which the author describes in detail, After speaking with a few older folks it seems he was right on the money.
  
  I am giving the book 5 stars despite there being a number of formatting and spelling errors that could be overcome pretty easily. I do this because the author has chosen to give the book away for free to anyone who might want it. Most niche books like this of any quality can sell for hundreds of dollars. I am very grateful that this was not the case because I might not have learned so much.
  
  A must-read for those with a great interest in Taiwanese (or Southern Chinese) culture.