Confinement and Stabilization: A Case of a Local Ritual Master Helped a Spirit Medium with His Re-consecration

This text discusses the interaction and relationship between a local ritual master and a spirit medium. It includes a case study of a spirit medium named Hu Guanglin, who turned to a local ritual master (fashi 法師) for a solution when he was having trouble maintaining a stable connection with his deceased patriarchs (yinshi 陰師). Master Wu proposed a ritual known as Consecration, Confinement, and Stabilization (kaiguang fengding 開光封定) to stabilize Guanglin’s connection. Master Wu showed his autonomy from Daoism and authority over spirit mediums. However, using Daoist characters and bureaucratic communication methods in their talismans and documents suggests a Daoist influence. The masters of the Mount Mao Divine Arts (maoshan shengong 茅山神功) exhibit their power over low-ranking spirits and spirit mediums, demonstrating a continuation of the “master of gods” phenomenon within Schipper’s hierarchy of gods, ritual masters, and Daoism.