Jerome Yuchien's Ph.D Thesis
Chapter Seven: Lottery Gambling and The Three Deities (part IV)
2, Jigong:
One of the deities involved in the Lottery is Jigong (the Crazy Monk). The Buddhist name of Jigong is Daoji but he is well- known by the name Che-gong to Taiwanese and Jigong to Chinese. Jigong (?-1209) was an eccentric Buddhist monk, who violated monastic regulations, for example, by drinking wine and eating meat. Despite his antinomian behaviour he was posthumously venerated by some of his lay contemporaries as a miracle worker (Shahar 1993:1) and by modern Taiwanese as a powerful god. Probably because of his antinomian behaviour that estranged him from the monastic establishment of his time, he is hardly mentioned in Song and Yuan Buddhist literature. Thus, we know little about the historical Jigong. As a fictional character and a god he is usually referred to as Jidian ("Crazy Ji") or Jigong (Shahar 1993:2-15). (note.12)
The saint entertains his lay friends, whether of humble or high social standing with jokes, witty remarks, songs and poems. Shahar (1993:41) points out that spirit-mediums of the god in present-day Taiwan entertain their followers with ribald jokes. Yet his primary function is not that of a poet or entertainer, but of miracle worker in affairs ranging from healing to the administration of karmic retribution. His appearance and behaviour do not diminish in the least his religious efficacy (Shahar 1993:38). Indeed the association of humour with religious power has remained a primary characteristic of the saint.
In brief, even though the trickster is funny, his religious powers are never questioned (Shahar 1993:58) and, moreover, reinforce his popularity. When asked by Hu Taili (1991:152) as to why they worshipped the deity for the Lottery, the Bettors typically answered: "Because the Jigong is crazy, he is more likely to reveal the winning numbers."
3, the Third Prince:
One of the deities involving in the Lottery is the Third Prince. The name of the Third Prince is Li Nozha (Li lo-chhia). In popular religion, Li Nozha is identified with the divinity "the Third Prince" in reference to his status as the third son of general Li Jing, or more simply "the Prince", or "Guardian of the Central Altar" ("Zhongtan Yuanshuai"). The immensely popular Ming epic The Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi) which has exercised a considerable but relatively unstudied influence on Chinese popular culture accounts for much of the popularity of the hagiography of the Third Prince (Sangren 1993).
In this epic, the Third Prince is a divinely conceived trickster who defied both his earthly father and heaven. As a seven-year old, he playfully and unintentionally provokes a confrontation with the dragon king of the oceans, killing one of the dragon king's sons. This episode is the first of a series of similar ones that lead to another series of attempts by his father to control the unruly boy. Eventually, to escape divine punishment for his insubordination, the Third Prince returns his flesh and bones to his father, a suicidal act intended to abolish his filial obligations. Desiring a new body, the spirit of the Third Prince appears to his mother in her dreams and convinces her to defy her husband and secretly to erect a temple altar to him. Because the temple is so efficacious, never failing to respond to worshippers' requests, it attracts increasing numbers of pilgrims. Eventually, however, the Third Prince's father, Li Jing (Li Ch?g), discovers the temple's existence and destroys it and its image of the Third Prince. But because the Third Prince's souls had received nourishment from pilgrims' offerings and incense, his body is partially reconstituted with the aid of his Taoist immortal mentor, Taiyi Zhenren. Thus, the Third Prince goes on to become a supernaturally gifted hero (Sangren 1993:9). The Third Prince story recounts a rebellious son's attempts to escape paternal authority (Sangren 1993:2). In the field work, I found many temples where the god is enshrined are connected with the Lottery. Also, when questioned by Hu Taili (1991:152) as to why they worshipped the deity for the Lottery, the Bettors typically answered: "Because the Third Prince is childish, he is more likely to reveal the winning numbers."
4, the Stone and Tree Gods:
As far as the Stone and Tree Gods are concerned, for a number of reasons noted in the previous chapters, they are treated as minor deities and sometimes as marginal deities. Since they were originally deified because of containing intrinsic mystery according to Chinese cultural context, not because of moral deeds and thus not "approved",(note.13) the local leaders are not interested in promoting them. They are kept minor and marginal and thus outside the orthodox interpretation since there is lack of institutional means to channel these interpretations.(note.14) People may, according to their own needs, provide the deities with new interpretations, and therefore endow them with new functions.(note.15) In recent years, because of social and cultural changes, they have been endowed with a new function as gambling deities.(note.16) In brief, the Stone and Tree Deities, since their deification origins are different from the normal deities, can transform their religious function from normal adoption into gambling.
From the depiction of these patron deities, we see that the Good Brothers are favoured by those who are engaged in illegal activity because they have been apotheosised not by their ethics or morality; Jigong was an antinomian Buddhist monk who violated monastic regulations by drinking wine and eating meat; the Third Prince was an unruly boy who returned his flesh and bones to his father, a suicidal act intended to abolish his filial obligations; the Stone and Tree Gods, since they were originally deified because of containing intrinsic mystery and are kept minor and marginal, people may endow them with new function as gambling deities. In brief, we find a common facet among them, that is, none of them are bound by the officially approved morality.
VI. the Deities not Involved in the Lottery:
There are still 33 stone deities and 20 tree deities that do not connect themselves with the Lottery. I attribute the disconnection to four reasons. The first reason I know is that some are located in Hakka villages. As we have noted in Chapter One, probably because of being long persecuted and isolated in China, the Hakka people developed a strong self-identity and the culture and customs are unique. Most of the Hakka people do not get involved in the Lottery which is popular in Hollo communities. Therefore, the Stone Goddess of Pak-biau Ward (#S1; see figure 1), the Stone Goddess of Ka-seng Ward (#S2; see figure 2), the Stone Grandfather of Ka-seng Ward (#S3; see figure 3), the Stone Goddess of Lek-biau Ward (#S4; see figure 4), the Stone God of Tho.-sian Ward (#S20; see figure 20) and the Tree God of To.-sian Ward (#T15; see figure 80), because located in Hakka villages, are all unconnected with the divination of the Lottery.
The second reason is that some are treated as the Land God. We know that the Land God can be represented by stone and/or tree and is traditionally regarded as the guardian of land, of community, of wandering souls. In most places I studied, the Land God still plays his traditional role, that is, as the guardian of land and of community.(note.17)
The third reason is that some are too marginally located to be known by the Bettors. For example, only a few neighbours of the Tree God of Lo-chui Village (#T24; see figure 90) know the tree is a deity and worship it with some incense sticks. Naturally, it does not attract gamblers. The Tree God of Chhau- lian Lane (#T25; see figure 91) is worshipped with a small censer beside a small temple. Only a few people on some specific occasions access the place and worship the tree. It is unlikely that the Bettors can find the place. By the same token, the Elderly Tree of Pak-li Rural-town (#T36; see figure 103), the stone Good Brothers of Bah-t? Hamlet (#S22; see figure 23) and the stone Good Brothers of E-kham-te Hamlet (#S26; see figure 28) are too marginally located to be known by the Bettors.
The last reason that some of the deities are unconnected with the Lottery is that their custodians do not allow the Bettors to come for predictions of the winning numbers of the Lottery. If a temple is open to the Bettors, they can make the temple more prosperous and at least better-financed. Consequently, the custodians of some temples encourage the Bettors to come for the winning numbers. However, Bettors who lose in the Lottery might come to destroy the deity statues or even set fire on the temples. I was told that the humble temple of the Stone God of Gien-kiu-in Road (#S55; see figure 60) has been burned deliberately twice since it was built. Hu Taili also reports that a deity statue had been cut off eight times (1991:139). Therefore, some well-organised temples, which can collect donations door-to-door or establish a committee to support the temple finances do not have to take the risk of allowing the Bettors to come.(note.18)
In sum, we know that the reasons that keep these natural objects from the Bettors are that: 1, they are located in Hakka villages; 2, they are too marginally located to be known; 3, they are regarded as the Land God; and 4, well-financed temples' custodians do not allow the Bettors to come for the winning numbers. Therefore, whether a temple has been originally initiated due to performing miracles, or is connected with nominal adoption, has nothing to do with whether it is selected for gambling or not (see also Appendix).
