Shamanism in Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine - TCM podcast

Script: https://tcmpodcast.me/episode-03-dating-as-a-digital-nomad/

From the very beginning, the ancient China remained directly or closely sacrificial. It is unfortunate but ancient China was built upon sacrifice. Sacrificial elements were of utmost meaning in the ancient China. Very alike European cultures, ancient and medial China followed the evolution from blood sacrifice to non-blood, re-presented as it is believed “morally correct” sacrifice, and to the ethical systems, such as Taoism and Confucianism, that evolved from it.

The status of individuals in ancient China was determined by the perceived degree of his or her association with the supernatural. In ancient China, supernatural capabilities were common to virtually all Chinese medical doctors. They all had supernatural capabilities that were all documented in medical texts.

Shang dynasty (1766-1046 BCE), sacrifice consisted in humans and animals and, to a lesser extent, wine and food, and as practiced later in Japan, tools, weapons and clothing. There is clear evidence of a shamanic culture existing in early Asian civilization, and many shamanistic practices are believed to lie at the foundation of Chinese Medicine. By the sixth century B.C., the link between shamans and the medical practitioner was clear. Confucius is quoted as having said that “a man without persistence will never make a good shaman or a good physician”.

Shaman - wu 巫 is a person who can mediate within the powers of nature. Shamans are viewed as bridges between natural and the spiritual world. Shamanism dates back to 40-100 thousand years ago, and is considered to be the oldest spiritual and healing practice known to humankind. Virtually all cultures around the world evolved from shamanic cultures.

Most shamans begin their spiritual paths during a life-threatening illness, having started a spiritual journey and communication with the gods, spirits and ancestors which in return later become the source of their powers. After recovering from the illness, they go through a ceremonial practice of cleansing. Archaeological excavations have found records of the shamanistic use of divination dating back to Shang dynasty (c.1766 – c.1050 B.C.)...

Link: https://www.meer.com/en/44155-shamanism-in-chinese-medicine

Religious practice in ancient China dates back over 7,000 years ago. Long before the Confucius, Lao Zi and the Buddha got accepted and developed philosophical and spiritual teachings, the people believed, developed and worshipped personifications of nature and concepts like "wealth" or "fortune" which eventually developed into a religion. Such thoughts and beliefs still influence religious practices today.

Evidence suggests Chinese mythological symbolism from the 12th century BC carved in the Oracle bone scripts. Legend of creation were passing down for over a thousand years before was written in books such as Classic of Mountains and Seas 山海經 (4 BC - 2 BC).

The first writer to record the myth of Pangu was Xu Zheng 徐整 during the Three Kingdoms period (220 – 280 AD). Pangu 盘古 was the first God – Creator, equivalent to concept of God found in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Pangu is creator and founder of the Heavens and the Earth. Creation story goes as follow: In the beginning of time, there was nothing in the universe except a formless chaos. This chaos coalesced into a black cosmic egg for about 18,000 years. Within it, Pangu was born inside of this egg, and the perfectly opposed principles of Yin and Yang became balanced. Having been realized he was trapped within it, Pangu woke up from the egg.

Info: www.tcmpodcast.me