Snake cults, which were probably once prevalent among the indigenes of southern China, have all but disappeared through the subjugation of snake deities (a.k.a. demons) by Buddhist monks, Daoist priests and Shamanistic local deities. While most snake deities exist as defeated demons/demonesses in religious lore, their power continues to be harnessed in some religious rituals and recognized in remote regions of Fujian. The Banana Python God and his three sons are a prominent example of their survival in transformed incarnations. In her presentation, Dr. Fan Pen Chen of SUNY-Albany, will share photos of temple murals as well as video recordings of string-puppet performances that depict the sacred tale of these snake gods.

Dr. Fan Pen Chen is Associate Professor of East Asian Studies at SUNY-Albany. She is the author of Chinese Shadow Theater: History, Popular Religion, and Women Warriors; Visions for the Masses: Chinese Shadow Plays from Shaanxi and Shanxi; Marionette Plays from Northern China; Journey of a Goddess: Chen Jinggu Subdues White Snake (forthcoming); and dozens of articles on Chinese drama, fiction, puppetry, and folk religion.