In the study of early Chinese thought， the meanings and transformations of “deities”神 and “spirits”灵 are topics of much debate. The varied interpretations of these terms in different contexts are not only subjects of conceptual study but also methodological issues in the study of classical thought. We attempt to illustrate that there may not necessarily be a uniform typological framework to explain the meanings of “deities” and “spirits” and their related vocabulary. Instead， the usage of these terms， along with related vocabulary， in traditional texts is multifaceted， non-hierarchical， unstructured， and contextual. There is no inherent coherence or structure among the meanings of these terms in different texts； rather， their meanings vary depending on the contexts. Interpretations of the meaning of “deities” formed within a typological or contextual framework are the result of overarching assumptions. The approach of understanding meanings as “varying with changing contexts” raises questions about the potential problems of “overarching” and “dictionary-style” assumptions in the study of intellectual history and conceptual studies. It also attempts to further explore descriptive methods grounded in experiential narratives at the margins of experience and their methodological significance for understanding early Chinese thought.