Ji Gong (Mad Monk)

Ji Gong was born Li Xiuyuan in 1148, into a scholarly family in Tiantai, Zhejiang. As a young man he took vows at Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou and received the dharma name Daoji — and then proceeded to scandalize the entire monastery, drinking, eating meat, and talking like a madman until the exasperated monks nicknamed him 'Ji the Lunatic.' Yet the mad monk had genuine power: he would tear scraps from his ragged robe, roll them into pills, and cure stubborn diseases with them, and he made a habit of helping the poor and punishing the cruel.

His most famous legend is 'the Flying Peak.' Ji Gong foresaw that a mountain peak was about to come hurtling down onto a village. He ran through the streets shouting a warning, but no one believed him — so in desperation he snatched a bride right out of the middle of her own wedding and bolted. The whole village gave chase to get her back, and as they poured out after him, the peak crashed down and flattened the now-empty village. Only then did they understand: the madman had saved every one of them.

In 1204, Daoji passed away at Jingci Temple in Hangzhou, leaving behind a verse: 'Sixty years of tumbling wall to wall; now gathered home, the water still meets the boundless blue.' A mad life, and a clear-eyed one.

Praying to Ji Gong is probably the most relaxed act of worship in all of Taiwan — because the offerings can include wine and meat. Rice wine, drunken chicken, braised snacks, fruit: all fair game. It's the exact opposite of the vegetarian rule most gods keep, and that's entirely in character for the god of no formality.

What to pray for? Saving people is his trade: healing illness and averting disaster, breaking a run of bad luck, standing up for the underdog, seeking justice. Some temples keep the tradition of Ji Gong 'descending' to handle cases, with the medium drinking and waving his fan in a re-creation of the mad monk's style.

The taboos here are the fewest of all: no elaborate ritual is required, and a sincere heart is what works. But don't misread 'wine and meat pass through the gut.' He may not stand on ceremony, but the one thing he weighs most is whether your heart is true.

His birthday falls on the 2nd of the 2nd lunar month (some temples celebrate on the 3rd of the 10th month). Temple festivals feature spirit medium sessions where mediums channel Ji Gong's eccentric behavior — a highly entertaining spectacle.