ИСТИНА

Talismans fu are an integral part of Taoist ritual practice, and while in orthodox Taoism talismans are to be compiled by an ordained priest, vernacular tradition often saw mediums, fortune-tellers and other such practitioners as talisman writers. Nowadays, while Taoist talismans could still be bought at monasteries and temples, vernacular practices find their way to the wider audience through online commerce engines, continuously transforming to accommodate the interests of contemporary customers. This paper examines the wide variety of talismans fu presently on offer by various sellers on Taobao, the world’s largest e-commerce website catering mostly to customers in the Chinese speaking countries and Chinese Diaspora. Analysis of the structure of talismans, spectrum of deities invoked by them, their intended purposes, specifics of usage and rituals they are involved in provides the basis for comparison with the field material, collected by Dr. Marjorie Topley in the beginning of 1950-s in the Chinese Diaspora of South East Asia, and also with the woodcut print collection of talismans obtained by the author in Guangzhou, China in 1999. While talismans are still intended to provide protection in the spheres of life that are ruled by chance, those spheres have obviously changed in contemporary life, leading to the shift in the hierarchy of talismans’ goals and popularity. Their traditional apotropaic nature is also undergoing transformation: a considerable percentage of talismans are intended to be used with offensive purposes, such as revenge, ruination of a competitor or breaking up a marriage – a usage probably not unheard of in talisman practices, but the one not widely advertised before. Moreover, we can see that traditional Taoist rituals are beginning to blend with folk magical practices, such as Gu magic tradition, associated with the non-Han people of South China.