Researches on Spirit-writing Hall have become a new academic discourse in Taiwanese religious studies since the 1990s. Among the Spirit-writing Halls, those in Yilan are especially significant in the research history. Researches on the Spirit-writing Halls in Yilan in the past have mostly focused on their origin and the issue whether the Japanese colonial government had patronized the Bi-xia Temple. Despite the many discussions on Yilan’s Spirit-writing Halls, no research has been done on the reason why they were so flourishing as to initiate other Spirit-writing Halls in Taiwan. This essay starts from collecting the historical materials of Yilan’s Spirit-writing Halls, then discusses the rationality of their flourish, and makes a systematic study on Yilan’s Spirit-writing Halls. The materials collected from my field studies include “The Golden Articles of a Virtue Book” (Shan-Lu-Jin-Pian), “The Amazing Articles of Virtue Record” (LuShan-Qi-Pian), “The Merciful Ship” (Du-Shi-Tse-Hang) from the Huan-Xing Hall, “The Amazing Edition of Dreams” (Meng-Jue-Qi-Bian) from the Qing-An Hall, “The Genuine Interpretation of Governing the World” (Zhi-Shi-Zhen-Quan) from the Juan-Shan Hall. With these scriptures, never discussed before, this essay aims to explore Yilan’s Spirit-writing Halls and the complicated phenomenon between the religious world and the local society, clans, and the public consensus.

spirit-writing hall, Li Wangyang, Yang Shifang, Xin-min temple, Bixia Temple