User:SeanLiu210/Chinese shamanism
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=== Article body === |
=== Article body === |
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After the Chu Dynasty before Qing Dynasty, add: |
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“During the Shang and Zhou periods, wu were associated with divination, healing, sacrifice, rainmaking, spirit communication, and court ritual. In oracle bone inscriptions and early historical texts, wu appear as intermediaries between the human world and the spirit world. Unlike priests in later organized religions, they often derived authority from their perceived ability to contact spirits and ancestors directly.” |
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Before Shamanistic features in early Tibetan religion, add: |
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“Practices associated with Chinese shamanism vary significantly by region. In southern China, especially in Cantonese-speaking areas, spirit mediums and temple rituals have long been associated with local religion. In northwest China, some ethnic minority communities continue to practice rituals involving healing, possession, and communication with spirits. These regional variations show that there is no single form of “Chinese shamanism.” Instead, practices differ according to local history, ethnicity, and religious tradition.” |
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After Northeast Shamanism, add: |
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“Chinese shamanic practices are closely connected to Chinese folk religion. Rituals involving ancestor worship, temple festivals, spirit possession, healing, and local deities often overlap with traditions associated with shamans or spirit mediums. In many local communities, religious specialists continue to perform rituals intended to cure illness, communicate with spirits, or protect people from misfortune. Because of this overlap, some scholars see Chinese shamanism as part of a larger system of Chinese folk religion rather than as a separate religious category.” |
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After Modern Shamanism, add: |
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“Although many traditional practices declined during the twentieth century, forms of shamanism continue to exist in some rural regions and among ethnic minority groups in China today. Spirit mediums, ritual healers, and possession ceremonies remain active in some communities, particularly where local religious traditions remain strong. Recent scholarship has emphasized that these practices should not be viewed simply as survivals of the past, but as living traditions that continue to adapt to modern society.” |
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=== References === |
=== References === |
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