A Sacred Mountain and Storytelling about Pilgrimage: Contemporary Religious Practice of Incense Associations at Mount Tai

As a form of pilgrimage in China, the Chaoshan jinxiang (朝山進香, ‘offering incense towards the mountain’), is a ritual that has garnered significant academic attention. However, research on contemporary incense offering practices remains inadequate. Grounded in fieldwork conducted from September 2023 to January 2024, this paper delves into the pilgrimage practices of local incense associations at Mount Tai, a historical site steeped in profound religious significance for centuries. Within the framework of collective memory studies, the paper posits that the contemporary practices of incense offering used to connect with spiritual beings during the pilgrimage to Mount Tai highlight a shift towards storytelling and preserving oral traditions. Specifically, while spirit mediums are marginalised and deemed superstitious by both Daoist priests and the state, they assert their influence through storytelling and often contend with religious and governmental entities over the narrative authority of this sacred site. In circumstances where traditional rituals and written documentation are discouraged, storytelling emerges as the paramount method for transmitting collective memory. By constructing specific narratives within defined spaces, the storytellers and stories forge a profound connection with the essence of this location. Consequently, the practices at Mount Tai exemplify the adaptability and flexibility of storytelling and embodied rituals in shaping collective memory.