Temple community of folk religion in Jiangnan since the Ming and Qing dynasties: Focus on Suzhou and Songjiang areas

Abstract

The temple community is an important concept in Suzhou and Songjiang folk religion since the Ming and Qing dynasties. The two major types of temple communities were those surrounding a Tudi Temple (Temple of the god of land), those encircling a Chenghuang Temple (Temple of the City God), and a Mount Tai Temple. Their existence has different meanings. The organizational systems and varying kinds of religious activities were distinct to the different temple communities. However, the division of temple communities is closely related to local administrative divisions. It is worth noticing that temple communities compete and conflict with each other for regional development resources and the benefits of relevant groups. This study of temple communities contributes to our overall understanding of communities of faith in villages.

Keywords

Ming and Qing dynasties / Suzhou and Songjiang areas / folk religion / temple community