湖南省湘西苗族地區有一類神職人員，當地稱「仙娘」、「仙師」，係 為具有通靈與通天的特殊體質、能力者，類似一般俗稱的「靈媒」，從事者有 男有女，男性稱為「仙師」，女性稱為「仙娘」。他們無族群身分、年齡條件 的限制，其中以女性擔任的情況較多，男性相對是少數。傳承方式分為「陰 傳」與「陽傳」；陰傳即指由來自天上、地下者教導和傳授（可能是來自家族 中的祖先或地方上已故的仙娘、仙師），陽傳即指由陽世間的仙娘、仙師傳 授和教導。經施法後，可以與來自天上者與地下者溝通交流，舉凡為人們治 病、解決疑難雜症、與亡者對話、處理小孩受到驚嚇、失魂、求子等日常所 見的問題。有些還可處理「贖魂」這類較棘手的法事，普遍來說，皆可逐一 為人們解決問題，是湘西地區常見的神職人員。 本文研究主旨，試圖探討仙娘、仙師在湘西地區的影響力，比較區域上 的差異性，分析他們生成背景，包括環境背景，成為仙娘、仙師的生命歷 程、傳承方式，現今為人們服務的法事類型，必須遵守的行規與禁忌等。藉 以看出仙娘、仙師在湘西苗區，於苗民日常生活中所扮演的角色與呈現當地 民間傳統儀式文化的縮影。透過探究其傳承方式，得以理解苗族神職人員家 族的延續以及家庭的網絡關係。

This paper describes ritual specialists in Western Hunan’s Miao areas, namely female and male spirit mediums referred to as “zimei” 子妹 (tsi53mei35 in Miao). Most specialists are women (usually labeled “xianniang 仙娘”), although some men become mediums as well (“xianshi 仙師”). Based on fieldwork among both female and male spirit mediums, this paper provides data on their lives and careers, while also addressing the following questions: How important are such specialists in people’s lives? How are mediums trained, and what types of rites do they perform? What taboos are they bound to observe? How do their rituals differ in different areas? In what ways are their ritual traditions linked to Miao ideas of family and lineage? The data collected to-date reveals that female and male mediums learn their trade in two different ways: training by living masters (yangchuan 陽傳) and training by deceased masters (yinchuan 陰傳), with the latter form of transmission being as prevalent (or even more common) than the former. Spirit mediums remain active throughout Western Hunan (including both rural and urban areas), in large part due to their skill in treating a wide range of illnesses and life crises. While in trance, they can cure disease, communicate with the dead, comfort frightened children, and provide other forms of spiritual guidance. Studying Western Hunan’s spirit mediums can help us better understand key aspects of Miao religious culture.