ABSTRACT
The goal of this chapter is to examine the beliefs and practices at the heart a 1942 uprising known as “jumping immortals” (tiaoxian 跳仙), as well as their significance in the context of modern Chinese history. In contrast to previous research on this incident, which treats its religious facets as “superstition,” I stress that beliefs in savior figures and the staging of mass possession rituals led by Miao female mediums proved critical in triggering acts of highly motivated resistance, with the Miao Montagnards who took up arms against the state choosing to die on their feet rather than survive on their knees.
