Temple of Forgotten Spirits
2024
Temple of Forgotten Spirits is an interactive ritual of collaborative mythmaking that invited participants to co-author a symbolic tale using a natural language model and diffusion model, simulated divination, and folk narrative traditions blended with new media.
Collective Worldmaking
The experience began with attendees gathering together to contribute imaginary elements towards a partially constructed magical realist story. As passages were read aloud, participants added their own words and phrases which were then fed into algorithmic systems, outputting surreal images that manifested the group’s psychological state into symbolic graphics containing objects projected in real-time.
Zhenzhen Qi Leading the Collaborative Worldbuilding, with the Real-Time Generated Symbols Projected onto the Wall.
As the group’s shared story unfolded, a specialized algorithm analyzed the narrative in real-time, generated symbolic graphics, and projected them onto the room’s front wall.
Cyber-furtunetelling
After collectively participating in the wonderous and nostalgic worldbuilding section, attendees individually interacted with a fortunetelling system in the avatar form of “Mister Destiny-Reader” - conversing with the simulated avatar to receive a divination “layout” reflecting their innermost ponderings.
The Software Station Hosting 算命先生 (Mister Destiny-Reader).
算命先生 (Mister Destiny-Reader) Presenting the Unique 局 (Outline) for His Querent.
Jiama
Finally, consulting with the layout received from the Cyber-furtuneteller, and the symbols generated during the collective storytelling session, guests followed guidance on traditional techniques and created their own Jiama: a traditional folk artform used in spiritual offerings that reflects broader human desires for inner peace and connection with the universe.
Participants Drawing Their Own 甲马 (Jiama).
Selected Jiama created by participants.
Purification and Renewal
The workshop ended with participants burning their Jiama in a red metal offering urn. The act of burning Jiama papers is believed to send them to the spirit world, where the spirits or ancestors can receive and use them. It’s a way of ensuring that the deceased have all they need in the afterlife, reflecting the belief in a continued existence after death. The burning of paper symbolizes the transformation of material goods into spiritual goods. It’s believed that through the fire, these offerings are transformed and transferred to the spirit world. Offering paper can also be seen as a way to curry favor with the spirits or ancestors, ensuring their blessings and protection. It’s a way of maintaining a harmonious relationship between the living and the spirits.
Participants Sending Off Their Jiama Deities by Burning Them.
Connecting without Controlling
Can technology help connecting us to each other, our forgotten memory and unseen future without dominating our human voices? Technology offers promise in connecting us to one another, to memories, and to aspirations for the future. Yet there is a risk that technology may overwhelm authentic human interaction. The creators of this workshop reflected deeply on these potentials as they designed the experience. Blending algorithmic prompts, symbolic iconography, and personal inspiration, participants hand-drew and burned their “jiama” in a culminating ritual release – contemplating the artifact’s nature through this communal ceremony. The workshop aimed to harness technology’s benefits while keeping human voices heard. Through drawing, reflection and burning, participants touched the intersection of technology and tradition, grappling with questions of what we carry forward together from a collective legacy.
This program was held on January 1st, 2024. It was hosted at, and supported in part by Accent Temple, a pop-up gallery space by Accent Society. The experiences were designed by zzyw and Go To Sea Team, led by Zhenzhen Qi (zzyw | Go To Sea), Jiaoyang Li (Go To Sea | Accent Society), and Yang Wang(zzyw | Go To Sea).
Image Credit: Accent Temple.