Great Gobi Charm (Mysterious Northern Shaman Culture)

Author: Wang Honggang, edited by Yu Xiaofei
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-09-01
Features: "The Visual Series on Chinese Primitive Religious Culture," strives to showcase the highlights of China's multi-ethnic primitive religious cultures. The first batch released includes "The Flame of the Soul—A Journey into Dongxiang Culture," "The Light of Faith—Li Ethnicity's Primitive Religion and Bimo Culture," "Entering the Realm of Pictographic and Ideographic Writings—A Spiritual Journey in the Ancient Kingdom of Naxi," "The Magical Beliefs Between Silver Mountains and Jade Lakes—Bai Ethnicity's Benshu Worship," and "The Charm of the Gobi—The Mysterious Northern Shamanism." These are five waves in the long river of China's primitive religious culture that we have selected, each book possessing unique characteristics and captivating charm. The authors of this series are experts and scholars who have dedicated years to researching and introducing China's primitive religions. They have spent many years conducting field research in China's border regions with ethnic minorities, and the content of the books is largely based on their firsthand materials. Each book is written by authors from the respective ethnic groups about their own religious cultures, making the reading experience warm and touching. This series combines knowledge and appreciation, featuring rich illustrations that complement the text, allowing readers to gain a wealth of information about primitive religions while enjoying the reading.
Northern China is one of the birthplaces of shamanism. Ethnic groups such as Manchu, Hezhe, Ewenki, Oroqen, Sibo, Daur, Korean, and Mongolian have all practiced shamanism or retained certain remnants of it. Shamanism preserves a relatively complete and vivid set of primitive religious characteristics, recording the historical trajectory of the cultural spirit development of northern China's ancestors. It is a of ancient culture, encompassing religious, philosophical, historical, folkloric, astronomical, and medical content, and holds comprehensive cultural value. Its influence continues to this day.