Page 627 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

jINXIANG

which are placed in the bucket of rice that represents the prison at the Gate
of Demons. It would thus appear that the imprisonment of the demon also
has the effect of an enfeoffment of the spirit as an Earth God (*Tudi gong)
and divine protector of the sacred area.

Paul ANDERSEN
III Andersen 1990; Lagerwey 1987C, 90-1OS; Ofuchi Ninji 1983, 283- 87; Schip-
per 198sa

* jiaa

jinxiang

offering incense

The burning of incense (xiang W) as sticks, coils, powder, or otherwise, is
one of the most fundamental religious acts in Chinese culture. The words for
worshipper or pilgrim (xiangke W $), worshipping or going on a pilgrimage
(jinxiang), the altar (xiang'an 1§:~), and many other religious terms refer to
incense. One burns incense simply to demonstrate respect with or without
further explicit worship, for instance to a district magistrate on official tour;
or one burns it when reading empowered texts, such as Confucian classics,
religious scriptures, and morality books (*shanshu). Buddhist monks burn moxa
(called "incense" in this context) on their heads as part of the ordination ritual.
As an element of explicit worship, burning incense opens a channel of com-
munication with supernatural forces. Therefore, each ritual begins with, and
is frequently interrupted by, incense burning ceremonies. Different religious
traditions pay much attention to their own ways of burning incense.
Incense does not derive its power from being placed in the incense burner
(*xianglu). In fact, the two have separate histories and connotations. Prior to
its use for burning incense, the burner was already a precious object provid-
ing religious and political legitimacy (see under *lingbaa) and a ritual tool for
preparing sacrificial food. Incense, on the other hand, does not need to be
burned in a special vessel, but can be placed in a tree or on a staircase, stuck
in a lantern symbolizing Heaven or in sacrificial animals, held between one's
hands during worship, and so forth. The word xiang in older sources refers
to the fragrance of sacrificial food and liquor, which was consumed by the
deities. This would suggest the use of incense as the cheapest kind of offer-
ing. Another antecedent may have been the prophylactic burning of aromatic