Unpacking the Multiplicity of Chineseness: a Case Study of the Guanyin Shrine in Mueang Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Abstract This paper aims to examine the origins and development of the Guanyin Shrine in Mueang Mae Hong Son, Thailand, and to investigate how its construction of Chineseness is informed by various factors at intra-ethnic, local, and national levels. Through ethnographic fieldwork, it was found that the Chineseness embodied in the Shrine is a paradigm encompassing the identities of overseas Chinese from different backgrounds. The Shrine is characterized by its use of universally recognized symbols in Chinese culture, including the selection of Guanyin as the main deity and the creation of unique trademarks using common motifs such as yin-yang and bagua . The Shrine represents a hybridization not only of Chineseness and national identity but also of Chineseness and local identity, as seen through the application of national symbols such as the Thai monarchy and Theravada Buddhism, the ritual of inviting Tai Yai guardian deities, and the procession of ethnic groups during the Annual Celebration.