A talk jointly organised by The Peranakan Association Singapore and NUS Baba House.
Date: Saturday, 16 February 2019
Venue: NUS Baba House, 157 Neil Road, Singapore 088883
Time: 4.30-6pm
Who is the God of Wealth?
This affable deity has appeared in Chinese folklore and is today still popular among Singaporeans, especially around the Chinese New Year period as he is thought to bless people with good fortune during this time. Although Zhang Gongming is his most popular incarnation, did you know that there are several other figures who are also worshipped as gods of wealth?
In this talk, Esmond Soh, a student of History, will review literature about the different gods of wealth and examine the historical context that has popularised the worship of these deities, namely the growth of commerce in the Song and Ming dynasties in China.
Closer to home, he will also discuss the popularity of the Sembawang God of Wealth temple in Singapore. Taking an anthropological approach, he will examine the temple’s success within the concept of eudaimonia (a state of happiness) in popular Chinese religion and discuss why Singapore’s neoliberal economy has contributed to the God of Wealth’s popularity.
Join us to learn more about the changing identity of Chinese religious practices in Singapore.
Registrations strictly for TPAS MEMBERS ONLY.
Places are LIMITED. To register, please email Gwen Ong at: events@peranakan.org.sg
About the Speaker – Esmond Soh
Esmond Soh Chuah Meng is a final-year undergraduate pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). His thesis examines the changing identities of a spirit-medium practice temple in Singapore. His research interests include the effects of modernity on Chinese religious institutions and the history of religion in general.
Co-organised with the NUS Baba House