Detailed Introduction
In the midst of a temple procession, a man begins to shake violently. His gaze shifts, he takes up a shark-tooth sword and brings it down on his own forehead -- blood runs, yet he seems to feel no pain. That is no longer him, the onlookers say; a deity has "descended." This man is a jitong (also called tongji or lingji), the spirit medium believed to be the deity's spokesperson in the human world.
What Is a Jitong?
"Ji" means the medium through which a spirit descends; "tong" means pure and undefiled. A jitong is a mortal chosen by a deity to speak for it -- of any gender or age. The choosing is usually not voluntary: the person may suddenly tremble for no reason, speak in strange words, or dream again and again of a particular deity summoning them. Once a temple ritual master confirms it, they are recognized as "taken" by that deity. Then comes a period of "training the medium" (xun ji), learning to receive the deity's descent steadily.
Entering Trance
The trance usually takes place on specific occasions -- a deity's birthday, a temple procession, or a consultation session. The ritual master opens the rite with chanting, bell-ringing, and incense, and under his guidance the medium slowly slips into a trance. Once in it, the medium's words and acts are believed to be no longer his own but the deity's: the voice changes, the expression turns stern or compassionate, and the speech may shift into classical Chinese or an old dialect.
Wielding the Five Treasures (Cao Wu Bao)
The most striking thing about a Taiwanese jitong is "wielding the five treasures" -- using ritual weapons to wound himself while in trance:
- Seven Star Sword: a short sword struck against the back or chest.
- Shark Sword (shark-tooth club): a weapon of shark teeth struck against the forehead or back, drawing blood, though the medium is said to feel no pain.
- Bronze Rod: a bronze staff struck against the body.
- Spiked Ball (wolf-tooth mace): a ball studded with iron spikes, struck against the whole body.
- Moon Axe: an axe-shaped implement struck with its flat face.
The practice is believed to purify the implements or consecrate talismans with the medium's blood, and to display the deity's power. Not every jitong does this, though -- those who convey the deity's message by speech alone are called "wen ji" (civil mediums), while those who wield the five treasures are "wu ji" (martial mediums).
The Interpreter (Zhuotou)
When the deity descends, its words are often obscure -- classical Chinese, a local dialect, or a garbled mutter -- so a "zhuotou" (interpreter, also called translator or jijiao) stands by to render them. Usually a seasoned old devotee or ritual master, the interpreter can decode the medium's speech and gestures and turn the deity's message into modern words worshippers can follow. The role is crucial: a good interpreter makes the whole consultation flow and ring true.
The Consultation
To consult the jitong, a worshipper usually first offers incense and casts divination blocks to confirm the deity is willing, then waits their turn. The questions range widely: health, marriage and relationships, career and money, home feng shui, a child's schooling, and more. Through the interpreter, the jitong gives specific advice, and may prescribe a "medicine poem" (a remedy built mainly of Chinese herbal ingredients) or direct the worshipper to undergo certain rites, such as jigai or Tai Sui pacification.
Social Role and Controversy
The jitong's place in Taiwanese society is complex and subtle. To devout believers he is the deity's compassion made flesh, a vital outlet for comfort and life guidance; critics worry that some mediums exploit worshippers' trust for private gain. In recent years the culture has been shifting -- some temples have built more transparent consultation systems, and scholars have begun studying trance from anthropological and psychological angles. Whichever side one takes, jitong culture is one strand of Taiwanese folk religion, carrying centuries of historical memory and folk wisdom.