Extreme Game - Chinese Ouija 'Cai lan gong'

Oh how times have changed, during the olden days the children of yesteryears spending more time outdoors and do what they loves best, have fun playing various games and sang many rhymes. Many of which requires very little supplies or gadgets. All they need is their imagination as well as their muscles.

One of the extreme tradition games played by children was the spirit-basket game called 'cai lan gong' [菜篮公] meaning ‘basket deity’. Other spirit ouija games they were coin spirit game and overturned glass or cup is placed on the table chinese ouija board, I believe it is called "Wan Die Xian 玩碟仙" (literally "playing with cup spirits").

A board and pointer used for divination  is found in China around 1100 AD
and some use as a tool for contacting the dead and the spirit-world.

It could be those days the children are braver, growing up in poverty creates tough and braves child. Nowadays my niece bring the house down, she screams and shrieks just at the sight of cockroaches.

Spirit-basket-divination is a 1,500 year-old Chinese divination method that might have been written off as extinct, had it not been rediscovered in Indonesia. The spirit-basket in Indonesia is also shared the same namesake, ‘jailangkung’ derived from the legacy of Chinese-Indonesian relationships.

Here the practice is alive and well widespread to an extent that might be described as harmful social influence to the country due to became popular game among youths, they played to predict lottery numbers.

In Chinese popular ritual, the spirit of deity is using the basket divination as a medium to communicate with the believers while Indonesian summon up dead spirits into a doll or puppet with a pencil or chalk is to be used for writing, attached to the lower side of the doll.

The now defunct game was widely played by Chinese in ethnic Chinese majority nations but now was no longer mention or realize there is such a game.

My mom used to play the game when she was a kid, 'cai lan gong' was played only during the Moonlight Festival night and only reserved for teenage kids.

The Chinese place a strong belief in spirit called 'Cay Lan Kung' dan 'Cay Lan Tse'. The puppet effigy is decorated with a basket as a body dressed up with clothes and a bundle of keys ties at the clothing waistline.

Before they can start the game, they need to burn the incense, and smoke begins to billow, transmitting, as all will stay quitely waiting.

The indonesia version use a coconut shell as its head so placed that the whole thing looks just like a doll.

The spirit basket carried on poles by two bearers, then the ringleader started recite below mantra repeatedly while fumigate the puppet with the incense smoke and then wait for a few minutes for the arrival.

The leader of the group, whose role is more like a shaman, normally it must be guide by someone who knows the game inside out.

Mantra In Hakka language : I hope I get the pronunciation and mantra right

Thai lam sin, thai lam fa...

Pat nyet sip ng chiang nyi ha loi kau jit ja...

oi loi tu loi, ng ho jit sin khi ngoi ngoi...

oi hi tu hi, ng ho jit sin ta liong thi...

cuk jap co son pun nyi cho, ten sim tham khiau pun nyi ko

thai pa so si oi nyi nak, se pa so si oi nyi jung

kim ci hiong cuk chiang nyi loi, kim ci hiong cuk chiang nyi con

In English :
'Cay Lan Kung, 'Cay Lan Tse'
On the 15th day of the 8th lunar month I invite you to descend to play for 1 night
If your're willing, please come down. Do not just standstill.
If wish to go then go, do not rebel
bamboo leaves built ship for you to aboard, rows of lanterns become bridge for pass through
Big key you can hold, small key you can use
Joss paper, incense and candles to invite you to come, joss paper, incense and candles to invite you to leave



The ringleader kept repeating it until the basket turns heavier or there is a sense of vibration, that is the arrival indication been detected in the basket, a spirit has entered.

Those games are not for the faint-hearted. The spirit basket porters needs to be strong physically and mentally.

Is something similiar with devotees carrying a deity seated on a sedan
chair that swings by its own free will.

Thus, as soon as the two persons carrying the basket sedan give the ringleader a nod to signal that they are being visited by a spirit or deity, the leader immediately asks whether you’re 'Cay Lan Kung or 'Cay Lan Tse', "What's your name ?"

Questioning and answering session can start begin. The puppet will move to the answering questions put to it by either nodding or rapping.

When the session ends, gently invite the spirit to return where they come from.


The spirit basket game played by my Mom as a child, I know you may find this hard to believe, but I know that it`s true.

You gotta play the game to be believer. I dare you to play.. a word of reminder. The rule is NEVER abandon the game half way, it is your responsibility to ensure the spirit has left.

There is a Chinese proverbs, "inviting spirits are easy, but sending away spirits are not easy".

If the player does not know how to properly invite the spirits back, the consequences can be quite dangerous. The spirits might show angry range from mild to severe and can even be life-threatening when possessed onto a person's body goes into a trance.

So be careful! You Have Been Warned!