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normally consult the deity, and indicate the response of the deity in each area of concern in each oracle stick. This list is not uniform in the various collections of temple oracles. To illustrate this point, I want to refer to the samples listed in Appendix I:
B-I, the sixty Matsu oracles (sample 1): contain between fourteen and twenty-six areas of concern, depending on the edition.
B-2, the 100 Kuanti oracles (sample 2) only list seven or eight areas: fame (or reputation), happiness, litigation (in court cases), ailment, marriage, pregnancy and travel. One edition of B-2 has no listing at all.
B-6, (sample 3) has an extended list of 36 concern areas. B-34, (sample 4) is a simplified set and reduces the areas of concern to six.
B-54, (sample 5) is irregular in that it presents two separate lists: one of twelve concern areas, which look more or less like the traditional ones, and second, one of six, possibly adapted to the particular situation in Hong Kong. The latter list includes ‘geomancy' as one of the areas, which is amazingly not found in any other oracle collection available to me.
B-55, (sample 6) does not have any detail at all; only sample 13 of the same B-55 has additional commentaries, which, however, do not include the concern areas.
B-0, not included in Banck's collection, (sample 7), lists eight concern areas, which are almost identical with B-2.
A comparison between the various lists makes it clear that worshippers go to the temple to ask the deity's advice (and forecast) about any of the more important issues in life: health and happiness, marriage, birth, education, longevity, wealth, success in business enterprises, success in career, travel, building or renovating the house, the weather, especially about rain, visitors and lost property. For medical advice they can consult the medical oracles, which are usually differentiated into several groups: man, woman, child; sometimes there is a special set for eye diseases.
The answers to their questions are of course stereotyped: they are printed on leaflets and apply to all cases in general terms. Worshippers may eventually wish to consult diviners inside the temple or sometimes in the neighbourhood to obtain more indi-
27
normally consult the deity, and indicate the response of the deity in each area of concern in each oracle stick. This list is not uniform in the various collections of temple oracles. To illustrate this point, I want to refer to the samples listed in Appendix I:
B-I, the sixty Matsu oracles (sample 1): contain between fourteen and twenty-six areas of concern, depending on the edition.
B-2, the 100 Kuanti oracles (sample 2) only list seven or eight areas: fame (or reputation), happiness, litigation (in court cases), ailment, marriage, pregnancy and travel. One edition of B-2 has no listing at all.
B
B—6, (sample 3) has an extended list of 36 concern areas. 34, (sample 4) is a simplified set and reduces the areas of concern to six.
B — 54, (sample 5) is irregular in that it presents two sepa- rate lists: one of twelve concern areas, which look more or less like the traditional ones, and second, one of six, possibly adapted to the particular situation in Hong Kong. The latter list includes ‘geomancy' as one of the areas, which is amazing- ly not found in any other oracle collection available to me.
B 55, (sample 6) does not have any detail at all; only sample 13 of the same B-55 has additional commentaries, which, however, do not include the concern areas.
B — 0, not included in Banck's collection, (sample 7), lists eight concern areas, which are almost identical with B-2.
A comparison between the various lists makes it clear that wor- shippers go to the temple to ask the deity's advice (and forecast) about any of the more important issues in life: health and happi- ness, marriage, birth, education, longevity, wealth, success in busi- ness enterprises, success in career, travel, building or renovating the house, the weather, especially about rain, visitors and lost property. For medical advice they can consult the medical oracles, which are usually differentiated into several groups: man, woman, child; sometimes there is a special set for eye diseases.
The answers to their questions are of course stereotyped: they are printed on leaflets and apply to all cases in general terms. Worshippers may eventually wish to consult diviners inside the temple or sometimes in the neighbourhood to obtain more indi-
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