This is the first collection of academic papers on the deity named Datuk Gong. It contains 19 original academic papers on related topics and is divided into four sub-topics: Centenary Review, Religious Dialogue, Malaysian Regional Case Study, and Study by Datuk Gong of Malaysia, Thailand and New India.
The book not only presents precious first-hand historical materials in Chinese and English, but also records and analyzes the experiences of of the faith in various places through on-the-spot investigation.
The belief is passed down from through word of mouth, in busy cities, construction sites, gardens, parking lots, uninhabited desert islands, street corners, in front of homes, and also in the solemn main hall of temples.
What kind of god is Lord Datuk? How widespread is the belief?
This book will step into the field of Dato’s public studies and explore this local belief with distinctive characteristics of Southeast Asia, especially the Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore.
Chief editor Dr. Tan Ai Boay is a native of Penang, tracing an ancestry in Shangchen Village, Lufeng, Guangdong.
Currently an associate professor and course director of the Institute of Chinese Studies, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, and a consultant to the Buddhist Archives of the Buddhist Association of Malaysia. PhD (Department of History), Master of History, University of Malaya; Bachelor of Arts, National Taiwan University (majoring in Anthropology, minoring in Chinese Literature).
Dr. Tan has published dozens of academic journal articles at home and abroad including “Traces of Nanyang Chinese – History and Legends of the Cave Temples of Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia”.
这是迄今为止首部以拿督公为主题的学术论文集，收录了十九篇相关主题且具原创性的学术论文，并分为四个子题：百年回顾、宗教对话、马来西亚区域个案研究、及马泰新印拿督公研究。书中不仅呈现了有关拿督公信仰的中、英文一手珍贵史料，同时也是以实地考察的方式，记录并分析各地拿督公信仰的见闻。
拿督公在哪？
在人们口耳相传的信念中，在闹市、工地、园丘、停车场、无人荒岛、街道转角、家户前，也在庄严肃穆的庙宇主殿。
拿督公是什么神？ 信仰分布有多广？
本书将和您踏入拿督公学术研究的领域，共同探索这种具有鲜明东南亚，尤其是马来西亚和新加坡华人特色的本土信仰。
主编简介
陈爱梅博士（Dr.Tan Ai Boay），槟城美湖人，祖籍广东陆丰上陈村。
现为拉曼大学中华研究院副教授兼课程主任，也是马来西亚佛教总会佛教档案馆咨询顾问。马来亚大学博士（历史系）、历史系硕士；国立台湾大学文学士（主修人类学系，辅修中国文学系）。
她在国内、外发表数十篇学术期刊论文，主编《南洋华踪-马来西亚霹雳怡保岩洞庙宇史录与传说》，研究方向包括马来西亚华人历史及文化、华人传统宗教等。
