Dear Prof. Pamela Crossley:

The worship of earth and fire does exist throughout China. To express their
worship mood, people set up memorial temple (Land Temple and Fire Ghost
Temple) in the central of the village, and hold some grand ceremonies. But
She-Huo is popular in North China, just like Shanxi, Shenxi, and
Henanprovince, or maybe it is with relation to Yellow
River? However, the ceremonies in South China were more frequent and
magnificent than North China. The function of these ceremonies was not only
folk belief, but also entertainment. The gentries take advantage of it to
finish the local affair, like solving the divergence of irrigation,
proposing a marriage, and so on.

     Furthermore, there are some imperial Fire Ghost Temples in Qing period.



-- 
best
Sincerely

Niu Guanjie