Nezha V

Divination in Taiwan takes different forms. Two most popular forms are luanji (鸞乩) and tongji (童乩). Luanji, which means “(imperial) altar divination,” is performed by a priest at a temple, while tongji, boy divination, takes place either at a temple or anywhere else, usually at home where a non-priest presides. A sand table is required for altar divination. It is placed before the altar of a god or goddess. A T-shaped planchette is carried in by two bearers, who then place it atop the sand table. (A planchette is a small board supported on casters at two points and on a vertical pencil at a third that is believed to produce automatic writing when moved across a surface by light pressure of the fingers of one or more persons.) A priest prays before the god or goddess and lets the planchette move freely. He then identifies any shape or lines made on the sand as signs of divine revelation. It is the priest who makes the necessary interpretation to divine what the god or goddess wants or what may be in store for supplicants. People often go to temples to obtain a divination on what medicine they should take or what magic should be applied to cure maladies which doctors diagnose as incurable.

Tongji, as its name suggests, is performed by someone who isn't a priest, though he is usually an adult. He may perform it at a temple or at the home of a supplicant. If divination is requested at home by a faithful of Nezha, the diviner has to pray before his altar, where offerings are made. The diviner has to have an assistant, who “stands by the altar.” The job of the stander-by-the altar is to chant sutras to the accompaniment of a gong and a drum and interpret whatever the diviner may utter in trance. The trance, induced by the sutra-chanting, comes in half an hour or so, the first sign being the shaking of hands or the body of the diviner, who is possessed by Nezha. Then in trance, the diviner strips himself naked above the waist and wields a small sword and a miniature pennant to appear like the divine enfant terrible. The assistant then asks the diviner the questions the supplicant wants to ask. The diviner utters some mumbo-jumbo, which his assistant has to interpret. The assistant may also use his T-shape planchette to write the mumbo-jumbo as he interprets on a piece of votive paper. Then Nezha leaves the diviner, who ends his trance and comes to.

The diviner may also exorcise the home of the supplicant by going around every corner of the house while in trance. He will wield his small sword to kill all the demons just as Nezha does or carry with him a pot of burning oil which is supposed to burn all the evil spirits alive.

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