Northern China National Shamanism

The main subject of this study is the system and evolutionary pattern of shamanism of the nationalities of northern China on the various stages of its development in different historical periods.What is shamanism? This question lies at the center of the theoretical development of the academic area and is the point of departure of this study. The first chapter of the book reviews the various definitions given by scholars from China and other countries in the past, and addresses the question of what is shamanism by a systematic comparison and analysis. The chapter points out that the nature of shamanism is, like other religions, about the faith in the spiritual and the religious cosmology concerning it. The viewpoint that denies shamanism as a form of religion is thus rebuked. Shamanism studies is thus categorized theoretically in the field of comparative religious studies. Four general conceptual categories of shamanism are identified: the shamanistic belief tradition, shaman's ecstasy, believer's behaviors, and social groups of various kinds that believe in shamanism. Shamanism is a comprehensive social and cultural system that is centered on the belief and expressed in religious experiences, behaviors, and social organizations.It is natural to trace its origin and evolutionary path in order to understand clearly the phenomena of shamanism. However, because of the lack of historical data, scholars have difficulties to theoretically understand the history of shamanism. In treating the issue of the origin and evolution of shamanism, the author brings in approaches from archeology, ethnology, and ethnic economy, from which historical evidences concerning the origin and evolution of shamanism are found and. further, a comparative analysis of their practical manifestations in various areas is offered. The author provides, in particular, a structured analysis of the basic system of shamanism arising and evolving in ethnic economic activities.The most important feature of the origin of shamanism is its close integration with the networks of kinship of the primitive society. During a long period of time in its historical development, the religious organization and the social organization of shamanism overlap. This is the most distinct feature of shamanism, different from the other world religions. It is also the objective foundation upon which studies of the historical formation of shamanism are based. Some nationalities in the north experienced, at different historical times, the transition from matriarchal to patriarchal society or family commune, tribal association, and ethnic sheikhdom. And accordingly, shamanism also experienced a series of change of its religious forms that corresponded to such matriarchal society, patriarchal society-family commune, and sheikhdom. The author goes deep into the analysis of the objective foundation and regularity of the evolutionary changes of shamanism and the specific meaning of shamanism under different social forms.Through investigating their processes and outcome, this study tries to identify the historical pattern of the religious cultural interchanges among northern nationalities and between shamanism and other religions. In this respect, the uniqueness of the cases from China and its analysis will provide new data and academic approach to the international academic community.According to the four general categories of shamanism, the author offers many unique viewpoints and ideas respectively on the issues of soul, the three cosmic zones, idols of the spirits ,shamans and their techniques of ecstasy ,the items for rituals, and the variousreligious behaviors of shamanism -offering sacrifice, pray, sorcery techniques, and taboo. Such structured analysis reflects the concepts and categories inherent in this field of study. Undoubtedly, this study has offered a new epistemological and methodological approach and broadened the academic vision in the field of shamanism studies.The situation of shamanism in contemporary Chinese societies is of great inter...