The Jingshe Murder and the Commercialization of Spiritual Practice: Excerpt from 'The Violence of Faith' (2)

In Taiwan, religious faith has always been free and vibrant, but this freedom has also nurtured a gradually emerging gray industrial chain—using terms like 'spiritual cultivation,' 'Buddhism and Taoism,' and 'Christianity' as a front to exert control, exploitation, and profit-seeking. When faith encounters commercial logic and organizational power, spiritual spaces may quietly transform into places of physical harm, psychological manipulation, and wealth extraction. In 2024 and 2025, two major religion-related incidents sparked widespread public debate: the Jingshe murder case in Taipei's Da’an District and the suicide of a female notary in Kaohsiung. These two cases not only expose the operational mechanisms of spiritual commercialization but also remind us that when faith loses supervision and ethical constraints, its harm may far exceed ordinary imagination.

In late July 2024, a 52-year-old woman surnamed Cai was found dead in a private residence in Taipei’s Da’an District, which was self-proclaimed as a 'Jingshe' (spiritual retreat). According to investigations by prosecutors and police, the site was established by a so-called spiritual writer who had long recruited followers to live and practice collectively within the house. Ms. Cai served as the retreat’s cashier, responsible for accounting and administrative duties, but from May of that year, she was allegedly misunderstood over financial issues and began suffering prolonged psychological and physical punishment. She was forced to perform full prostrations hundreds of times daily, required to shave her head, subjected to public criticism by fellow believers, and endured long-term fasting and isolation. Under immense physical and mental strain, Ms. Cai died in July. The autopsy report indicated multiple bruises and signs of external trauma on her body. More shockingly, the approximately NT$2 million originally in her bank account had been completely withdrawn before the incident.

This case was not merely a fatal assault; it also exposed the highly closed and collectively controlled internal operation of such Jingshe organizations. Prosecutors later indicted the male writer surnamed Wang and twelve other members, including a previously well-known actor, drawing significant media attention. The public has labeled the entire incident as a major criminal case of 'death caused by mental manipulation.' Groups like this, cloaked in the language of Buddhism and spiritual practice, establish internal mechanisms of leader worship, isolation of followers, and intense interference in members’ lives and finances—almost replicating the operational structure of typical problematic religious sects.

Coincidentally, in October 2025, a woman surnamed Sun, a long-time notary from Kaohsiung, died by jumping from her home, sparking widespread social concern. According to her family, Ms. Sun had long participated in religious activities at a folk temple in Fengshan District, Kaohsiung, and, deeply believing in the temple’s 'instructions from the Mother Deity,' continuously invested funds into a real estate sales company affiliated with the temple. Over five years, she accumulated a debt of up to NT$160 million, borrowing under her own name and from friends and relatives. Part of the funds were used to purchase land, support development projects, and make 'merit investments.' The temple and sales company told her these funds were for 'accumulating blessings,' 'correcting fate,' and 'repaying karmic debts,' with half to be donated as temple offerings.

Unable to bear the pressure of debt and moral guilt, Ms. Sun filed fraud charges with the police in July 2025, but less than three months later, she chose to end her life. Her death exposed another form of spiritual manipulation: unlike the physical control and collective living in the Taipei Jingshe case, the control mechanism in this case was more secular and commercialized. Religious language became a tool for fundraising, and the spiritual space merged with financial investment, forming a unique 'religious financial structure.' Believers, trusting divine revelations and karma, poured their savings into these schemes, only to be driven to extremes by debt and the collapse of trust.

Although these two incidents differ in background, they both illustrate several core characteristics of spiritual commercialization. First, they are both packaged in religious language—whether it’s Buddhist cultivation, divine messages from the 'Mother Deity,' or fortune-telling—granting leaders and activities a transcendent authority that makes it difficult for believers to question their legitimacy. Second, they incorporate money into the spiritual process through courses, donations, or financial partnerships, directly linking 'spiritual growth' with 'economic contribution.' Third, such organizations often lack transparent financial structures and external oversight. Whether it’s the emptied bank accounts in the Jingshe case or the unclear destination of temple donations, both indicate operations in a gray zone beyond legal and religious norms. More seriously, once victims are drawn in, they often find it difficult to escape due to group pressure and psychological dependence, sometimes even losing the ability to seek help.

Without clear boundaries and ethical constraints, spiritual practice may evolve from a means of inner comfort into a tool of manipulation and exploitation. The above two cases are not just individual tragedies; they are mirrors reflecting systemic vulnerabilities beneath Taiwan’s framework of religious freedom. When faith is transformed into a business model and spiritual practice is institutionalized and priced, society and religious communities have a responsibility to confront these risks and establish effective prevention and oversight mechanisms.

Faith should bring freedom; spirituality should guide people toward self-realization. Yet when these values are held hostage by organizational structures and financial interests, what people experience may no longer be a process of cultivation, but rather a draining and falling trap under the guise of faith.

Cover of 'The Violence of Faith: The Awakening of a Group of Taiwanese from Cults.'

*Author Pingxie Sanren, real name Wang Chaoqun, is a veteran media professional currently running the YouTube channel 'Observation Window 2.' This article is excerpted from the author’s new book 'The Violence of Faith: The Awakening of a Group of Taiwanese from Cults' (China Times Publishing).