Popular religion and the religious beliefs of the Song elite, 960--1276 (China)

This study explores the interaction between the elite and popular religion during the Song. Its central concern lies in the question of how concurrent intellectual and religious trends could have been reconciled within the culture of the Song elite. My main contention is that rather than dissociating themselves from the supernatural realm or making genuine efforts to put it under control, many of the Song elite like the rest of the society upheld a deep-rooted belief in the power of the supernatural world. Yet due to their unique social, cultural, and political status, the beliefs and practices of the Song elite were not exactly identical to those of the common people. Implicit divergences of beliefs and practices between the elite and the common people remained abiding features underneath their commonly shared beliefs. The Song elite significantly contributed to the development and proliferation of popular religion through their personal piety and patronage. To demonstrate the above argument, this study will examine four key aspects of the elite's religious beliefs and practices: their appeals for divine aid, encounters with ghosts and demonic forces, obsession with death and the afterlife, and recourse to divination. Why they believed in supernatural powers, how they justified personal actions violating Confucian principles, and what reactions they made to supernatural interventions will all be closely investigated through their own testimonies and daily practices. By examining the religious views and actions of the elite in both the public and private spheres, this dissertation attempts to develop a new perspective for the study of the religious life and role of the elite and a novel conception of the formation and development of popular religion.