Fuji (planchette writing)

Fuji (Chinese: 扶乩 or 扶箕), often referred to as "planchette writing" or "spirit writing," is a religious practice in Chinese religions where messages from deities, ancestors, or spirits, are conveyed through a wooden or metal stylus guided by a medium or a group of participants. Fuji is a form of automatic writing that often uses a suspended sieve or tray called a planchette, which is filled with sand or incense ash where characters are written using a pen or stylus.^[1] The practice is documented as early as the Song dynasty, and serves as a method for connecting individuals or communities assembled at an altar with a particular deity. This practice aims to fulfill personal requests, promote healing, provide moral guidance on individual or societal matters, and, in some cases, assist in the pursuit of loftier spiritual goals.^[2]

During the fuji session, the deity communicates by descending into a medium's body and dictating responses—ranging from brief messages to extensive scriptures—using various writing utensils on paper, sand, or ashes. When inscribing on sand, attendants read the words aloud and transcribe them. Occasionally, the deity is said to directly manipulate the writing tool without requiring a human medium. The resulting messages are shared with individuals or the wider community. Distributing and printing these scriptures is an integral part of the practice, fostering merit and legitimacy for the community while reinforcing its connection to the deity. Spirit-writing often transcends affiliation with a single religious tradition, incorporating diverse ritual elements and divine figures.^[2]

The practice of fuji has played a significant role in Daoist, folk Chinese, and Buddhist religious contexts, each of which has shaped its functions and meanings in distinct ways. Fuji exemplifies a syncretic interplay among these traditions, serving as a medium for divine communication, moral instruction, and religious guidance. Texts written through the fuji method have become important in some Chinese religious sects. These texts usually contain moral teachings, cosmological insights, or guidance for conducting rituals. Fuji is also practiced in some Southeast Asian communities, such as in the Vietnamese new religion of Caodaoism.