Here's another interesting article ...

MORE young people here have become mediums in the last decade, veteran temple administrators said. Believers say that mediums serve as messengers for deities.

About seven in 10 practising mediums here are in their 20s and are often blue-collar workers, said Taoist Federation (Singapore) chairman Tan Thiam Lye.

Prior to the year 2000, he had not seen a single medium, known as dang kee in Hokkien, belonging to this age group.

Practitioners are growing younger as more youths are getting involved in temple activities, Mr Tan explained.

He added: 'Ten years ago, there'd be just over 10 old folk tending a temple. These days, there can be over a hundred youngsters organising a single temple event.'

This is a result of efforts by Taoist temples to get more young people involved in their activities in recent years, he said.

Mr Tay Boon Ho, 68, temple keeper of Chwee Hean Keng in Zion Road, agreed. He said: 'I see a lot more young dang kee these days taking part in temple processions.'

But mediums aged below 19 are very rare, said Mr Tan. This is because parents would usually plead with the deity to let their children grow up first.

Believers said that, typically, mediums are 'picked' by deities to represent them through repeated supernatural encounters.

Their status is sealed once another medium confirms the mandate, and they receive a 'decree' - a triangular satin flag - from the Jade Emperor or the Emperor of Tai Shan, said Taoist master Jave Wu, 30.

Young mediums have come under the spotlight recently as a coroner's inquiry found that self-styled medium Ku Witaya and his friend, both aged 16, had killed themselves in the belief that they were going to save the world. -- MY PAPER