Abstract:

Pilgrimage research has been rising and has yielded abundant achievements in the （Western） academic circle in recent decades. Among the literature of pilgrimage research, mostly is either on the formation of pilgrimage or on the social consequences of pilgrimage. The first approach emphasizes the political and economic process of the formation, while the second focuses on the functions of the pilgrimage. Mainly based on the fieldwork of a Catholic Pilgrimage practice in Mount She, Shanghai, this paper aims to explore an experience-centered approach, or a rather “insider’s” view to look at the pilgrimage besides the two dominant approaches. This approach focuses on the socially, culturally and historically embedded person, especially the pilgrim’s bodily experience. In this way, this study hopes to present the original status of the pilgrim to acquire a more comprehensive understanding of pilgrimage.

Key words: pilgrimage, political economy, Turner, experience, pilgrimage to Mount She