Chinese Identity in God Temple's Birthday Ceremony as a Form of Social Network

Abstract

This study aims to show a form of Chinese social network in the form of a god’s temple birthday

ceremony. This ceremony shows a form of social group identity as Chinese people in which shows a concept of

social networks. This research is ethnographic research, with the case of a god’s temple birthday ceremony. Data

obtained through interviews with the temple administrator, and observations during the preparation and the day

of the god's temple birthday ceremony. The result is the god’s temple's birthday ceremony is a tradition that is

maintained by the Chinese so as not to disappear and become an identity as a Chinese. The tradition is

transmitted from time to time from one place to another place through a social network. This social network

which is formed comes from a network between the temples as an institution that has the same main god.

Ceremony as a tradition is taught from generation to generation, demonstrated, and trusted. The ceremony was

held in order to maintain a relationship with the past with the ancestors and preserve the social group identity.