Underground Culture
Investigate the idea of "the underground", the alternative structures that exist in opposition to the dominant culture. Find a specific aspect of the underground that interest you, this could be political, social or within the realms of art or entertainment. Explore in depth.
Chinese Folk Religion
Chinese folk religion is composed of a combination of religious practices, including Confucianism ceremonies, ancestor veneration, Buddhism and Taoism. Chinese folk religion also retains traces of some of its ancestral Neolithic belief systems, which include the veneration of (and communication with) the sun, moon, earth, the heaven, and various stars, as well as communication with animals. Chinese people throughout the world have practiced it alongside Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism for thousands of years.
“神壇” (Shen Tan)
(A group of devotees with no temple and who gather in a place, which host the deity statues and censers)
In the past, boys from the same neighborhood would come together and form groups, which was then associated with gangs or secret society. As time passes these group of boys that studies and experiments with Chinese Folk Religion then identify themselves as 神壇. Back then, there was a misconception that 神壇 are usually associated with gangsters/thugs for members and therefore leading to dubious authenticity.
There were also cases that some of these 神壇 are actually scam operations run by gangs to raise money for their illicit activities; their mediums are either complete fakes or black magic users.The Placebo 安慰剂
The Chinese Talisman has been used in many occasions, mainly to heal, cleanse or to ward off evil. In my research, I have heard stories on the magical powers of the Talisman. Hence the creation of "The Placebo 安慰剂", to portray my views on the Chinese Talisman, focusing on everyday problems like, love, luck and health, hoping to help my audiences in a way or another. Will it really work? Maybe, maybe not?
