What is the origin and distribution of shamanism?

A primitive religion in late modern times. It is widely spread among many ethnic groups who speak Altai, Tungusic, Mongolian and Turkic from the northeast to the northwest frontier of China, and the Oroqen, Ewenki, Hezhe and Daur nationalities still kept this religious belief in the early 1950s. Because Tungusic language calls wizards shamans, they get this title. Generally speaking, it refers to this kind of religion which is believed by people of Ural-Altai language families from the Bering Strait in the east to Lapland in Scandinavia in the west, and in northern Asia and Europe. There are also primitive religions, which generally refer to the beliefs of indigenous people in primitive societies around the world today, especially the primitive religions of Eskimos, Indians and Australian aborigines in North America. /kloc-In the middle of 0/2nd century, the word "Shamanism" was used in China's Three Dynasties North Alliance compiled by Xu in the Southern Song Dynasty, describing the Shamanism that Jurchen believed in.

This kind of religion has a rather obscure concept of soul. Under the control of animism, it mainly worships the ancestors of clans or tribes, as well as western nature worship and totem worship. The objects of worship are very wide, including all kinds of gods, animals and plants, inanimate natural objects and natural phenomena. There are no written classics, no religious organizations and specific founders, no temples, and no unified and standardized religious ceremonies. The position of wizard is often passed down from generation to generation in the clan of this tribe.

With the disintegration of primitive communes and the emergence of class society, Shamanism declined day by day, and the upper classes of society successively converted to Tibetan Buddhism, Orthodox Church and Islam. Some primitive factors of this religion have been absorbed and integrated by the above religions to varying degrees. But among the people, it still has a strong influence and even survives in the form of variation.

Basic belief

First, the concept of soul.

It is believed that everything in the world has a soul, and the blessings and disasters brought by the changes in nature are the embodiment of the will of various elves and ghosts.

Shamanism believes that people have several souls. Hezhe people believe that people have three souls:

The Soul of Life (Woren). Given by the god of life, it will always accompany people's lives. When people die, they will never disappear without the body.

(2) the soul of thought (Hani). When people are awake, their thoughts and dreams are temporarily away from the body and other souls. It doesn't disappear after death, so you need to ask the shaman to send it to the underworld to avoid causing trouble to the world and hurting people and animals.

(3) Fagacu. It's from the metempsychosis god. After death, people are reincarnated as human beings or cast vivid plants, and women are infertile and miscarry. People think they have no reincarnation soul, or their souls have been photographed. The above-mentioned soul only hears its voice, but does not see its shape.

Altai and Yakutia call soul and life "Teng", "Sune" (or "Sur") and "Kute", and believe that all living things have Teng, and once they leave the human body, people will die. Su E is unique, it makes people have thoughts, will and feelings, and they can wander around without the body when they sleep. All inanimate objects have Kut, which can give them feelings and will. With Kurt in the stable of the sheepfold, the grazing animals will flourish and the owners will be rich. If it is attached to the shepherd's whip and stick, diseases and wolves will not dare to hurt the cattle. They also believe that people's souls, especially the dead, can communicate with all kinds of souls or spirits in nature, and even transfer to each other; The undead like to attach themselves to living people or other objects, which makes them change.

Second, the concept of gods.

Shamanism often endows fire, mountains and rivers, trees, sun, moon, stars, thunder and lightning, clouds, ice and snow, wind and rain, rainbows and some animals with personalized imagination and mysterious spirituality, and regards them as gods who dominate nature and human beings. In particular, the concept of ghosts and gods formed by the immortality of ancestors and the fear brought by various diseases and deaths in the world are the core of Shamanism's concept of gods. It is believed that all kinds of gods have the same will, desire and lust as people, and are more divided into good and evil, which cannot be disobeyed and violated. All kinds of gods have different attributes and functions, each with its own things and its own way. They are generally equal in status and rarely belong to the same family. Most of them have no hierarchy, and there is no god who rules everything. However, in the shamanism of Mongolian, Manchu and Daur who entered the feudal society, the concept of God (Tengger) appeared and gradually rose to a position higher than the gods.

With the development of private ownership and the influence of external class society, some ethnic groups endowed some ancient gods with new connotations. The "Ghiacci" of the Oroqen nationality was originally a god who blessed livestock reproduction, and later became a god of wealth, which was worshipped by every household; A few upper-class people used to work in local institutions in the Qing Dynasty, which made them believe in various yamen gods, most of whom were officials.

In some ethnic groups that have entered the class society, there have been gods born in poverty. Ewenki people in Huisuomu area of Inner Mongolia once worshipped the God of Hayin. It is said that they are a poor old couple with insufficient food and clothing. They became gods after death, mostly for the poor. Zhuori God is a slave, who helps people raise cattle and milk cows all his life. When I was old, I fell on cow dung and was regarded as a god after my death. God is an old man and a cow. The calf is drawn on a rectangular board. Whenever a cow is sick and unable to produce milk, its owner makes a sacrifice for it.

Third, the concept of three realms

Hezhe people think that the universe is divided into three realms: upper, middle and lower. The upper level is the heaven, where immortals live, and it is divided into seven layers, with the most authoritative immortals on it. The middle boundary is where people, animals and plants live; The lower bound is the underworld, which is also divided into several layers. There are ancestors, ordinary undead and ghosts living in it. Humans are caught in the middle and influenced by ghosts and gods. Only wizards and shamans can reach the upper and lower realms and dredge the Three Realms.

Lord worship

First, nature worship.

1. Worship the fire. People believe that fire comes from heaven, which is the most sacred, clean and kind. It can wash away all filth, drive away demons, ask questions and forgive others. No religious ceremony can be separated from fire, and all kinds of sacrifices must be given to Vulcan first. Yakutia people believe that only fire made of flint is sacred and pure. Altai people prayed to the fire that you are part of the sun and the moon. The first thing the Ewenki bride does when she marries her husband's family is to bow down to his Vulcan and introduce herself to his Vulcan. The Oroqen people call Vulcan "swimming in a bar like a ridge". It is said that she is an old woman. No one who has offended her will light a fire, so it is forbidden to poke the fire with iron or sharp sticks, spit, splash water or pour dirt into the fire. When eating or drinking, throw some wine and meat into the fire to worship Vulcan 1.

2 worship the mountain. Mountains used to be the residence or origin of clan and tribal ancestors, ruling all kinds of animals. Every year, the ancient Turkic Khan and tribal leaders went to the cave where their ancestors lived to offer sacrifices, which was called offering sacrifices to the holy mountain. Hunters of Oroqen and Ewenki believe that the beast belongs to the mountain god (white), and what kind of beast and how much can be hunted every day are given by the mountain god. Legend has it that mountain gods can become tigers or old people and help people. It often wanders in the mountains, so it is forbidden to make noise when hunting in the mountains, so as not to offend the mountain gods; Where you pass through ancient forests and steep cliffs, you should pray for good luck to the mountain gods. Trees in mountain passes are often stripped of bark and painted into human-shaped mountain statues, so that hunters in the past can worship, offer cigarettes and offer meat, and smear animal blood and meat fat on their mouths.

(3) Worship the sun, moon, stars, wind, rain and lightning. Ewenki people say that there is a white-haired old woman with huge breasts where the sun comes out, and all the children are given by her. The Oroqen people worship the sun god (Deleqin) in the Spring Festival every year, and kowtow to the moon god (Bieya) on the 15th or 25th day of the first lunar month to pray for peace for one year. They also believe that the Big Dipper can give people a long life and should bow down. Ewenki people say that the wind is caused by the old lady of northern Fengshen fanning a large dustpan. The Oroqen people think that crossing the place where the whirlwind blows will offend Fengshen, resulting in madness and crooked mouth and eyes. Rain God is usually called the Dragon King. There are countless scales on him, and each scale contains more than 100 barrels of water. When it rains, the Dragon King sprinkles water. Every year, Daur people open their nets to fish, offer sacrifices to the Dragon King and pray for a bumper harvest. Hezhe people believe that thunder and lightning are caused by "Leigong" and "Shanniang". Lei Gong attacked the demon with an anvil, and Shining Niang cooperated with the mirror to look at the demon. Oroqen people are forbidden to get close to trees that have been struck by lightning, so as not to offend Thor and get sick. Whenever the rainy summer affects hunting, hunters will bow down when they see the rainbow and pray for clearing up.

Second, animal worship.

Ewenki and Oroqen people are extremely awed by bears and think that bears are their ancestors, so hunting is forbidden. Later, guns were introduced and bear hunting became more and more popular. However, every time a bear is hunted, a ceremony is held to cut off the bear's head and put it on the tree frame. Everyone knelt down and offered a cigarette and kowtowed to it: Grandpa! (Mother Bear's name is Grandma) Are you asleep? Don't blame us. We didn't mean to hurt you. We killed you by mistake. Don't be angry with us, and give more luck in the future. Bless us to fight more wild animals! Repeatedly kowtowing, burning grass and beating the bear's head, thinking that the bear's soul would disappear. Then carry the bear meat back. Hunters came into their homes and shouted "Ga Ga", so people gathered together to cook bear meat on the fire, and when they ate it, they made a noise like a crow. After eating, the bear bones were wrapped in wicker, and the man carried them to the wind burial, followed by the mortician who pretended to cry. Koreans have an old legend that magpies are their ancestors. Manchu people believe that crows saved the lives of their ancestors. In the past shamanism worship ceremony, pork and viscera were hung on the top of the traditional Solo for crows to peck. Daur people offered sacrifices to twelve Duvalian gods in large-scale religious ceremonies. They are twelve animals that live in twelve plants.

Third, ancestor worship.

The theme of shamanism worship. Every Oroqen clan has its own ancestors, most of whom are male ancestors above their great-grandfather who died. The ancestral names of Oroqen, Ewenki, Daur, Hezhe and Mongolian all have the characteristics of similar pronunciation or homology. The shaman of the clan is often called "charming shaman", which means handed down from the ancestors. They are regarded as shamans by their ancestors and the main ancestors of the clan. When holding a religious ceremony, we should respectfully invite our ancestors to come and take possession of them; When fighting ghosts and gods, we must rely on the strength of our ancestors. This is the common feature of shamanism of all ethnic groups in recent years.

Under the domination of the concept of ancestor worship, more explanations have been given to ancestor worship of human and animal diseases. At the same time, pay special attention to the signs and daily phenomena of dreams, which are considered as good or bad omen for ancestors, so many methods of sacrifice, taboo and explanation are stipulated.

Four. idolatry

The gods worshipped by Shamanism are carved from stone, bone, wood or grass, woven from animal fur and painted on animal skin or paper, which are mostly similar to human figures. After the production is completed, it must be consecrated by the sacrificial party. Generally, each kind of idol is a group of several, or a man and a woman, placed side by side, placed on the tent, the lintel of the house, the tree near the residence, or a specially built hut. Migration and mobility are carried with you, and women are forbidden to touch them.

The bear idols of Ewenki and Oroqen are male and female bears. The idol of the fish god is carved on pine, which is also hermaphrodite; The idol of the snake god is carved out of iron, and so on. The statue of the ancestor of Ewenki clan is painted with the moon and the sun on the left and right sides on a piece of blue cloth, with two small pieces of squirrel skins cut and pasted in the middle, five golden women and four silver men below, and two opposite dragons below. Every household worships its ancestor "Shewoke". The image of the same ancestor is basically the same, and the husband and wife worship their ancestors. Clan ancestors are more noble than family ancestors.

Sacrificial prayer ceremony

First, Olena Lun

Shamanism traditional grand ancestor worship ceremony, all clan or tribe members participate in, praying for human and animal safety and bumper harvest in agriculture and animal husbandry. The ceremony of the new shaman of the clan leading the gods is often held at the same time. Ewenki, Oroqen, Daur and other ethnic groups are mostly held in spring, also known as the "April Fair". At that time, people will bring cattle, sheep, meat, food and wine to the party for a few days.

When the Ewenki people in Ergon River Forest Region of Inner Mongolia hold ancestor worship ceremony, they hang the gods of their ancestors on the treetops. There are wooden models of the sun, the moon, geese and cuckoo on the east and west sides, and the head, throat, tongue, heart, lungs, kidneys, limbs and tail of reindeer or salamander are hung on the leather rope between trees, with their heads facing their ancestors. It is forbidden to sacrifice four-legged animals that they think are ominous. Animal blood was smeared on the trunk near the sacrifice site. Ewenki people on the grassland often get together in August of the lunar calendar. The venue was decorated like a forest scene with rich sacrifices. During the party, I was addicted to singing and dancing, horse racing, wrestling and making friends. Shamans wear costumes and masks, and go to every household to dance chanting to express the exorcism of Naji. Every owner throws yogurt at them for good luck. On the third day of the party, the Daur people held a "Kure" ceremony. At that time, the shaman gathered the men, women and children of the clan in one place, wrapped the leather rope around his body, tightened it three times and then relaxed. If the length of the rope increases every time, it will be considered as a sign of people's prosperity. Everyone came out from under the rope to avoid disaster. That night, the shaman imitated the movements and songs of birds, held a blood-eating ceremony, and put the blood of cattle and sheep on the idol's mouth of the gods to pray.

Second, seek "Wu Mai"

A ceremony to regain the soul of a baby. In ancient Turkic, the word Ubiao means placenta. Yakutia people think it is an auspicious bird. Sacrificing birds and wheat can make people prosper. Ewenki children in Ergon River are seriously ill and think that their souls have gone to another world, so they must offer reindeer and dragons as sacrifices, and invite shamans to hold a ceremony and beg Wu Mai to take their souls back. Before jumping at night, kill a black reindeer as a means of transportation for shamans to find their souls. After the trance, the tent lights out to put out the fire, and the shaman runs back and forth in the dark to find the shape, and then lights up to see the shaman's drum face. If there is a child's hair, it means that the soul of the sick child has been found. Parents grab the hair, wrap it in clean cloth and put it under their armpits or buttocks to prevent it from flying. The next day, a white reindeer was killed to worship the ancestor Maru. They carved Umai, a symbol of the child's soul, into a bird shape with wood and sewed it on the back of the child's clothes together with the idol of Maru for Anji. "

Third, send the soul

In the funerals of the Oroqen and Ewenki nationalities, shaman's ceremony of sending souls is often held, that is, tying a straw man and several thin threads. The children or other relatives of the deceased wear mourning clothes, and the shaman also holds a line of chanting prayers, asking the deceased not to miss home and leave as soon as possible. Then he broke the line with his wand and tried his best to throw the scarecrow far away, thinking that the soul of the dead would fly away with him. After the body was put into the coffin, it was buried in the mountains or in the soil. When the Hezhe people bury their souls, they should be a little Woodenhead in clothes, burn incense and paper for the dead, or invite shamans to dance and entertain relatives and friends with wine and meat for three days. On the third day, the shaman shot three arrows, showing the dead the way to the underworld.

Fourth, pray for prey.

Hunters of Ewenki and Oroqen often hold this ceremony whenever hunting is unfavorable, that is, they make models of deer and dragons out of wicker, put them in the place where they usually worship gods, and shoot at the models with bows and arrows or shotguns with warheads removed. The clan or family members present said: Bingo! Hit it! The hunter immediately pretended to peel the skin, took out the internal organs and put them on the scaffold for sacrifice. Or at night, put an empty jar on the hunting ground, and the hunters knock on the moon to pray. The next morning, they will see what animal's hair is in the jar, so they think about what kind of wild animals they may catch. When it is difficult to hunt fine-haired animals with high economic value in winter, please ask the shaman to pray for good luck to the God Jiwalker.

Verb (short for verb) Beg for rain and stop it.

Ewenki people in the forest area put the killed woodpecker on the water, with its beak open upward, and then hung it on a tree, thinking that it could get rain. Take pine branches, buckle them upside down on a thin wooden pole, then tie a thin rope at one end of the veneer, and shake them quickly by hand to give off a wind, thinking that this can blow away the dark clouds, stop the rain and clear up.

Six, spells and spells

It is said that Ewenki people on the grassland only need to know the name and age of the enemy or thief, so they can ask the shaman to recite a spell, put a regular triangle "Chagduole" on a mahogany plate with oil surface, and throw it in the direction of the cursed person without being found by the other party, thinking that such witchcraft (Zateha) can make the other party suffer misfortune. If the other party finds out, they can retaliate in the same way. Legend has it that some shamans often show off "magic" when they jump up to exorcise ghosts, such as walking barefoot on charcoal fire or steel knives, licking red-hot soldering irons with their tongues, and breathing fire, or cutting their lips and tongues and spraying blood on patients' faces.

Seven, divination

It is quite popular among people who believe in Shamanism, and there are many ways. There are gun divination, bone divination and chopsticks divination. And Ewenki people in Suomu area also have "Aunt Li Fen" divination, mainly asking patients what gods they have violated, good or bad luck and so on.

The picture shows the shamanism mask.