| Summary/Abstract |
By aligning themselves with the Book of Changes (易經 Yijing) and
National Learning (國學 Guoxue), diviners in contemporary China
regard themselves as protectors of “traditional culture” and promoters
of “China’s national wisdom.” e alignment with the national tradition not only enhances divination’s social status, but also generates
more pro t for diviners and constructs a limited a nity with o cial
ideology. Diviners can shi their public image from being typical
representatives of backward feudal superstition to being in the
vanguard of a traditional culture that is essential to China’s national
identity. All of this is occurring against the background of China’s
national project of global reordering and promoting cultural nationalism. The reactivation of elements of the cultural patrimony is
regarded as useful to legitimize state power and to fortify national
cohesion. While popular religious practices o en maintain an alternative view to that of the state, they also develop connections with hegemonic discourses, dynamically and strategically.
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