Review Reports

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This paper provides a well-documented study of the multifaceted role of Shanxi merchant guildhalls during the Ming and Qing dynasties. By utilizing stele inscriptions and guild regulations, the author concisely demonstrates how these spaces functioned as commercial hubs as well as religious and cultural sites that bridged official state religion and local folk traditions. This paper will be of significant value to scholars of Chinese folk religion, economic history, and theatrical performance.

Author Response

Shanxi Merchant Guildhalls as Religious Sites for Theatrical Performances in Late Imperial China

Response to reviewer 1

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. I have revised the manuscript based on reviewers' suggestions. Please find the revisions/corrections in track changes in the re-submitted files.

Much appreciated. 

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper presents a detailed historical account of Shanxi merchant guildhalls (huiguan) as multifunctional religious-commercial spaces in late imperial China, with a particular focus on their role in the worship of Emperor Guan (Guandi), the staging of theatrical performances, and their contribution to the flexibility and dissemination of folk religion. The topic is intrinsically interesting and the use of Chinese-language stele inscriptions, local gazetteers, and guild records is one of the manuscript’s clear strengths.Thank you for submitting your manuscript to Religions. 
However, in its current form the manuscript requires major revision before it can be reconsidered for publication. Below I outline the principal concerns and concrete suggestions for improvement.

1.Overall Contribution and Originality1. Overall Contribution and Originality

The central argument—that Shanxi merchant guildhalls functioned as utilitarian religious sites that supplemented official Guandi worship, integrated elements of the Three Teachings, and promoted folk religion through frequent theatrical performances—is reasonable and supported by the primary materials. Nevertheless, the claim remains largely descriptive and does not yet offer a sufficiently strong theoretical advance or novel intervention in the existing scholarship on Guandi cults, merchant guilds, or late-imperial Chinese popular religion.
The most promising original angle (“guildhalls as supplementary yet commercially oriented sites for Guandi worship and as venues that enhanced the diversity of folk religion”) is underdeveloped and not sharply distinguished from prior works. At present the paper reads more as a competent synthesis of existing Chinese secondary literature than as a piece that pushes the field forward.

Suggestions:
Explicitly formulate 2–3 clear research questions in the Introduction (e.g., “In what ways did the commercial orientation of Shanxi guildhalls shape their religious practices in comparison with state-sponsored Guandi temples?” or “How did theatrical performances mediate between elite Confucian interpretations and popular/merchant understandings of Guandi?”). Strengthen the “so what?” by positioning the argument against competing interpretations. Highlight what is distinctive about Shanxi merchant guildhalls vis-à-vis other regional or occupational huiguan.

2.Engagement with Recent Scholarship (Critical Weakness)

The bibliography relies heavily on Chinese-language sources and a small number of older or mid-2010s English works (Duara 1988, ter Haar 2017, Goossaert 2015). Almost no scholarship published after 2018 is cited, which seriously limits the paper’s visibility in current international debates.
Key missing works that directly overlap with your topic include:
Yunjie Hu (2022) “Theatre as Business: A Study of Shanxi Merchants’ Sponsorship of Theatrical Performances in Qing China” (Asian Theatre Journal).
Broader discussions of hybrid socio-religious spaces in Qing China (e.g., works by Michael Szonyi, Vincent Goossaert’s later publications on local religion-state dynamics).

Suggestions:
Substantially expand the literature review to engage at least 8–12 post-2018 English-language sources. Use these works to sharpen your contribution. Ensure the reference list reflects a balanced international dialogue.

3.Structure, Clarity, and Argumentative Strength
The manuscript follows a logical chapter-like progression, but several sections suffer from repetition, abrupt transitions, and insufficient analytical depth. For instance:
Claims about the “utilitarian” or “commercially oriented” nature of worship are repeated frequently without being progressively deepened or tested against counter-evidence.
The discussion of Spring and Autumn Pavilions is interesting but not fully integrated into the larger argument about folk-religion flexibility.
The conclusion’s strongest claim (“guildhalls contributed to the richness and diversity of Chinese folk religion”) is asserted rather than rigorously demonstrated through systematic comparison or counterfactual reasoning.

Suggestions:
Add a dedicated subsection in the Introduction titled “Research Questions and Approach” that clearly states the questions, methodological choices (e.g., how stele authors’ social positions are handled), and analytical framework.
Reduce descriptive passages (especially long quotations from steles) and replace them with more interpretive synthesis.
Strengthen causal links and address potential counter-arguments (e.g., Did Guandi worship spread primarily because of guildhalls, or were guildhalls merely one among many vectors? Were theatrical performances always religiously oriented?).
Consider adding 1–2 small comparative tables (e.g., official vs. guildhall Guandi worship dates/rituals, or Guandi’s image in merchant vs. literati inscriptions).

4.Summary Recommendation
Major Revision. 

The manuscript contains valuable primary-source material and a worthwhile topic, but it currently falls short of Religions’ standards in three critical areas: (1) engagement with recent international scholarship, (2) clarity of research questions and argumentative depth, and (3) English-language quality.
If the authors address these issues systematically—especially by incorporating post-2018 English literature, sharpening the analytical contribution, and polishing the prose—the revised version could become a solid contribution to the study of late-imperial Chinese merchant religion and Guandi cults.
I look forward to seeing a substantially revised manuscript.

Author Response

Shanxi Merchant Guildhalls as Religious Sites for Theatrical Performances in Late Imperial China

 

Summary

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find detailed responses below and the corresponding revisions/corrections in track changes in the re-submitted files.

 

Point-by-point response to Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1. Overall Contribution and Originality

I agree with this comment. Thank you for your suggestions. I have now formulated 4 research questions and have added a section dedicated to research questions and theoretical framework.

 

2. Engagement with Recent Scholarship

I agree. Thank you. I have added 8 sources published after 2018, including Michael Szonyi and Vincent Goossaert’s works, and have expended the literature review. Yunjie Hu’s publications are already included.

 

3. Structure, Clarity, and Argumentative Strength

Thank you for your suggestions. I have added a section dedicated to the research questions and theoretical framework. I adopt Bourdieu’s theory of the ‘forms of capital’ and the theoretical framework of religious economy developed by Stark and Finke to discuss the commercial orientation of worship in Shanxi merchant guildhalls and the relationship between the government and the guildhalls in matters related to worship.

I have removed most of the descriptive passages. However, I have retained the three longest quotations/citation. The paragraphs from Burgess’s study provide a valuable description of how annual meetings were held in late Qing guildhalls. He was the eyewitness of the meetings. His descriptions were even better than the record of guild happenings in stele inscriptions. In addition, the stele inscription concerning the worship of Master Guan in the Shan-Shaan West Guildhall of Hankou offers important insights into the image of Emperor Guan in the eyes of literati elites and explains why he became associated with the Spring and Autumn Annals. Furthermore, the program of worship dedicated to Emperor Guan in this guildhall is perhaps the most detailed record I have found. For these reasons, I have decided to preserve these passages.

I considered adding tables, but in the end, I decided to remove them. There are no general rules regarding the specific days on which merchants worshipped Emperor Guan. So, the selection of representative samples is challenging. There is no clear basis for including one guildhall rather than another. Also, a detailed comparison between the worship of Emperor Guan in Shanxi merchant guildhalls and in official temples does not seem feasible due to the lack of sufficient historical evidence. A comparison between Emperor Guan’s image from the perspective of literati elites and merchants is included in my discussions.

 

4. English-language quality

The revised version is checked by Author Services.

 

Thank you for your constructive suggestions.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This thesis provides a thorough textual and documentary study of the folk religion of Emperor Guan, offering detailed descriptions of its popular nature, religious rituals, and the faith of commercial groups. It fills a gap in the academic study of this folk religion. The suggested revisions are as follows:

1. The majority of the thesis is descriptive. While extremely detailed, it lacks argumentative perspectives and critical analysis.

2. The thesis could strengthen and elaborate on the relationship between this folk religion and mainstream religions, such as Confucianism and Daoism, particularly in terms of inheritance, secularization, and divergence. At present, these aspects are only superficially addressed; they should constitute one of the central parts of the thesis.

3. Further discussion is needed on the specific significance of this religion for particular faith communities (e.g., commercial groups), in order to clarify how its religious and secular aspects are negotiated in terms of belief and practical operation.

Author Response

Shanxi Merchant Guildhalls as Religious Sites for Theatrical Performances in Late Imperial China

Response to reviewer 3

Summary

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find detailed responses below and the corresponding revisions/corrections in track changes in the re-submitted files.

 

Point-by-point response to Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

1. Argumentative perspectives and critical analysis

Thank you for your suggestions. In the revised version, I adopt Bourdieu’s theory of the ‘forms of capital’ and the theoretical framework of religious economy developed by Stark and Finke to discuss the commercial orientation of worship in Shanxi merchant guildhalls and the relationship between the government and the guildhalls in matters related to worship.

 

2. The relationship between this folk religion and mainstream religions, inheritance, secularization, and divergence.

Thank you for your suggestions. However, it should be clarified that it is inaccurate to state that the cult of Emperor Guan does not belong to mainstream religions. Emperor Guan was worshipped in Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, folk religions and folk belief. In this manuscript, I discuss the differences between the interpretations of Emperor Guan in Confucianism and in folk beliefs. His images in Daoism, Buddhism, and folk religions, however, fall beyond the scope of this study. In addition, the theory of secularisation does not apply well to the discussion of folk beliefs in late imperial China.

 

3. Further discussion is needed on the specific significance of this religion for particular faith communities.

Thank you. I have now expanded my analysis to demonstrate the worship of Emperor Guan in Shanxi merchant guildhalls.

 

Thank you for your constructive suggestions.

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thank you for your careful revision of the manuscript. Your responses to the previous comments are comprehensive and thoughtful, and the revisions made have significantly improved the academic quality and argumentative strength of the paper. However, there are still some issues that need to be further addressed to enhance the depth, coherence, and accuracy of the research. Detailed comments and suggestions are as follows:

1. Theoretical Framework Application

The addition of Bourdieu’s theory of “forms of capital” and Stark and Finke’s religious economy framework is a positive improvement, which helps to better interpret the commercial orientation of worship in Shanxi merchant guildhalls and the relationship between the government and guildhalls. However, the application of these two theories is currently relatively superficial. It is recommended to further integrate the theoretical perspectives into the core analysis: (1) For Bourdieu’s theory, clarify how the economic capital of Shanxi merchants is converted into symbolic capital through religious activities (e.g., temple construction, ritual performances) and how this symbolic capital in turn promotes their business development. (2) For the religious economy framework, further discuss how the “market niches” of folk beliefs are shaped by the needs of merchants, and how the tension between guildhalls and society (as defined in the framework) affects the inclusiveness and spread of Emperor Guan worship. This will strengthen the theoretical depth of the paper and avoid the separation of theory and empirical analysis.

2. Literature Review and Integration

The expansion of the literature review by adding 8 recent sources (2018 onwards) is commendable, which enhances the timeliness and comprehensiveness of the research. However, the integration of these new literatures into the existing discussion is not yet smooth. Some newly cited works are only briefly mentioned without in-depth dialogue with the research arguments. It is suggested to: (1) Further clarify the academic gaps addressed by this paper in the context of recent scholarship, especially the differences and connections between this study and the works of Michael Szonyi, Vincent Goossaert, and other scholars. (2) Strengthen the logical connection between the literature review and the research questions, so that the literature review can better lay the foundation for the research design and argumentation. In addition, it is recommended to check whether there are other important recent studies (e.g., works on the interaction between merchant guilds and folk religion in late imperial China) that need to be included to enrich the literature dialogue.

3. Argumentation and Content Coherence

The removal of most descriptive passages has effectively streamlined the argumentation, and the retention of key quotations (Burgess’s study, stele inscriptions, and worship programs) is reasonable, as these materials provide important empirical support for the research. However, the logical transition between some sections still needs to be improved: (1) The connection between the “guildhalls as temples” and “guildhalls as money-oriented religious sites” sections can be strengthened to better highlight the core argument that guildhalls are distinct from ordinary temples due to their commercial orientation. (2) In the discussion of Emperor Guan worship, the transition between the official interpretation and the merchant’s interpretation of Emperor Guan should be more natural, and it is recommended to further analyze how the two interpretations interact and shape the spread of Emperor Guan worship at the local level. (3) It is necessary to avoid redundant repetition of certain contents (e.g., the description of the architectural characteristics of guildhalls and the enshrinement of gods), and ensure that each part of the content serves the core argument.

4. Empirical Evidence and Detail Accuracy

The paper relies on rich empirical materials such as stele inscriptions and guild records, which is a major strength. However, there are still some details that need to be verified and supplemented: (1) For the key stele inscriptions and historical records cited, it is recommended to add more specific contextual explanations (e.g., the historical background of the inscriptions, the identity of the authors) to enhance the credibility of the evidence. (2) When mentioning the transformation of temples into guildhalls (e.g., Haicheng Shanxi Guildhall, Nanjing Shanxi Guildhall), it is recommended to supplement the specific reasons for the transformation and the impact of this transformation on the religious functions of the venue. (3) The paper mentions that the selection of representative guildhalls for table comparison is challenging due to the lack of general rules. However, it is still possible to provide a brief summary of the worship characteristics of different regions or types of guildhalls (e.g., northern vs. southern guildhalls, salt merchants vs. textile merchants) to enrich the empirical analysis.

Author Response

Shanxi Merchant Guildhalls as Religious Sites for Theatrical Performances in Late Imperial China

Response to reviewer 2

Summary

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. I appreciate your careful reading and insightful comments. Please find detailed responses below and the corresponding revisions/corrections in track changes in the re-submitted files.

 

Point-by-point response to Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

1. Theoretical framework application

I have now expanded my discussion of the conversion between economic capital and symbolic capital and cited Hu’s (2022, 2023) works to show how symbolic capital could promote the merchants’ business. I have also expanded the discussion of how merchants’ need shaped market niches and demonstrate the relation between tension and the spread of the cult of Emperor Guan in section 5.

 

2. Literature review

I have now further clarified the academic gaps addressed by this paper and strengthened the connection between the literature review and the research questions. I have also added one more recent study by Susan Naquin.

 

3. Argumentation and content coherence

I have improved the logic connections and have further analysed the relation between the interpretations of Emperor Guan and the spread of the cult in section 5. I have also deleted some repetition of certain contents such as the name of gods

 

4. Empirical evidence and accuracy

I have added specific contextual explanations to stele inscriptions. However, little is known as to the specific reason and the impact of the transformation of temples due to insufficient evidence.

Also, the comparison between guildhalls may be of limited significance. Shanxi salt merchants could also engage in textile industry. And existing evidence shows that there is no significant difference between the worship characteristics of Shanxi merchant guildhalls in different regions.

 

Thank you again for your constructive suggestions.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This revision lacks an explanation on how the author’s revision corresponds to the reviewer’s advice point by point. I can see the author added previous scholarship to highlight his own contribution; added a theoretical framework to enhance the argumentative (rather than descriptive) nature of its thesis; add the distinction between the merchants’ and the literati’s understanding of Emperor Guan, and the significance of such folk religion to the specific group of merchants. So the revision largely covers the reviewer’s concerns. It is acceptable in its current form. 

Author Response

Dear reviewer

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. I appreciate your careful reading and insightful suggestions.

 

Best regards