25
A more carefully planned survey would make sure that all areas of Taiwan are included. In my survey, some are totally omitted, although I do have representatives from most administrative units throughout Taiwan (and 2 samples from Hong Kong).
Cities:
Taipei: 19
Keelung:
Tainan: 17
Kaohsiung: 23
Taichung: 115+37 Yangmingshan:
Counties: Taipei: 4
Yunlin: 6
Ilan:
Chiayi: 11
Taoyuan: 9
Tainan: 4
Hsinchu: 16
Kaohsiung:
Miaoli: 8
Pingtung: 5
Taichung: 31
Taitung: 5
Changhua:
Nantou: 23
Hualien: 18
Penghu:
Final Considerations
The practice of divination appears to be a universal phenomenon in the history of religion: universal both in time and in space. The modalities display an immense variety, and to come up with a complete list of types would require another essay. The Chinese temple oracles seem to belong to a category of numerological divination types in which the probability of certain results can be calculated according to mathematical laws. The other type of Chinese folk divination, using two "moon blocks", follows similar probability patterns, and is often used in combination with the temple oracles.21
One can wonder about the reasons why this type of divination remains so popular among Chinese temple goers. There may not be a simple answer to the question and it very likely touches on the borderline between conscious and unconscious motivation. Consultation of the oracles, moreover, is not dissimilar to gambling, with the important difference that the oracle consultant believes implicitly in the divine guidance and control of the oracle result. Although aware that probability patterns are involved, the ordinary believer is still convinced that the outcome of his consultation...
25
A more carefully planned survey would make sure that all areas of Taiwan are included. In my survey, some are totally omitted, although I do have representatives from most administrative units throughout Taiwan (and 2 samples from Hong Kong).
Cities:
Taipei:
Keelung:
19 Tainan:
Kaohsiung:
17
23
Taichung:
115+37 Yangmingshan:
Counties: Taipei:
4 Yunlin:
6
Ilan:
Chiayi:
11
Taoyuan:
9 Tainan:
4
Hsinchu:
16 Kaohsiung:
Miaoli:
8 Pingtung:
5
Taichung:
31 Taitung:
5
Changhua: Nantou:
23 Hualien:
18 Penghu:
Final Considerations
The practice of divination appears to be a universal phenome- non in the history of religion: universal both in time and in space. The modalities display an immense variety, and to come up with a complete list of types would require another essay. The Chinese temple oracles seem to belong to a category of numerological divi- nation types in which the probability of certain results can be calculated according to mathematical laws. The other type of Chi- nese folk divination, using two "moon blocks", follows similar probability patterns, and is often used in combination with the temple oracles.21
One can wonder about the reasons why this type of divination remains so popular among Chinese temple goers. There may not be a simple answer to the question and it very likely touches on the borderline between conscious and unconscious motivation. Con- sultation of the oracles, moreover, is not dissimilar to gambling, with the important difference that the oracle consultant believes implicitly in the divine guidance and control of the oracle result. Although aware that probability patterns are involved, the ordi- nary believer is still convinced that the outcome of his consulta-
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