The Flowing of the Sacred Space: How Reciprocal Exchanges with Deities Are Affected by Urbanization

Although there is a consensus on religious revival in China, it must be noted that popular religion and institutional religions such as Buddhism Daoism adopt different strategies to survive the state’s regulations. Many temples used facilitate worship of local deities have establish some form intangible cultural heritage or emphasize deity’s history folklore de-religionize. During this process, temple may earn its lawful place survive, but risks communality village. Based studies rural urban Henan Shandong provinces, paper, I attempt understand people’s religiosity how they conduct human–deity exchange under social transformation. Popular characterized by pursuit efficacy embeddedness life. The traditional binary with could maintain relationship well offer urgent solutions, while three-party chains not only constitute gift economy also agent seek answers. argue are marginalized excluded from village life, so people need find new means which continue their practices beyond what state sponsors, has led flowing sacred places.