This project explores the question: how the rights of authority shift when sacred figures become commodities. More specifically, it asks who controls the conditions of reverence, aura, and legitimacy in a commodified system.

My family comes from the Teochew region in southeast China, a culture deeply rooted in local deity worship and patriarchal traditions that continue today. In Teochew belief, worship is not limited to formal religious events but is woven into everyday life. People would visit the deities, known respectfully as “Laoye” (老爷) for important life decisions such as marriage or career choices. *In the Teochew culture, the term "Laoye"is not a single god, but a collective and respectful title for all deities.

Traditionally, these deity figures were handcrafted from wood, stone, or ceramic by skilled artisans who passed their skill by generation. Traditionally, rights and reverence were secured through artisanship, ritual, and temple space.Laoye statues usually occupy central positions within a temple so that people whom enter the space will immediately notice the exist of Laoye, and change their behaviours within sacred spaces.

However, industrialisation and capitalism have transformed this relationship. Deity figures can now be mass-produced, purchased online, or even customised. The materials range from metal to plastic, and the deity figure has become a commodity. While worship continues, the act of consumption introduces a new kind of faith.