US doctoral degree candidate studies Taoism in Tainan (2014/01/24)
Doctoral degree candidate Stephen Flanigan came to Tainan to study local Taoism culture. His studies included learning prayer recitations and transcribing Taoist incantations into the Taiwanese language.
The drum beats as believers participate in prayer incantations at this Tainan temple. Some are surprised to see a foreigner taking part in this ceremony. He sounds just like the locals.
He can fluently speak these Taoist prayer incantations and shows us his notebook of incantations. The most amazing thing is that he can translate classical Chinese into the local Taiwanese pronunciation.
Stephen Flanigan is a doctoral degree candidate in history at the University of Hawaii. His thesis is on Chinese Taoism and folk beliefs. He has lived in Tainan for three years to perform fieldwork.
He admits that there is a certain degree of difficulty when it some to studying the Taiwanese language.
Stephen Flanigan US Doctoral Candidate Learning these incantations, probably the most difficult thing is remembering the different pronunciations of the Chinese characters in the Minnan language. Because Minnan still has a stronger, more preserved dual pronunciation scheme than Mandarin.
His ability to speak Taiwanese has left a deep and lasting impression on many in this temple
“I was surprised, very surprised that he would invest himself in this study and learn to speak Taiwanese so well.”
Flanigan adds the availability of delicious food in Tainan has helped his stay. He plans to take a little bit of local Taoism back home with him when he completes his research.
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