Shamanism and the Origin of States: Spirit, Power, and Gender in East Asia

by Nelson,Sarah Milledge

• ISBN13: 9781598741339
• ISBN10: 1598741330
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2008-07-15
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Sarah Milledge Nelson's bold thesis is that the development of states in East Asia-China, Japan, Korea-was an outgrowth of the leadership in smaller communities guided by shamans. Using a mixture of historical documents, mythology, archaeological data, and ethnographic studies of contemporary shamans, she builds a case for shamans being the driving force behind the blossoming of complex societies. More interesting, shamans in East Asia are generally women, who used their access to the spirit world to take leadership roles. This work challenges traditional interpretations growth of Asian states, which is overlaid with later Confucian notions of gender roles. Written at a level accessible for undergraduates, this concise work will be fascinating reading for those interested in East Asian archaeology, politics, and society; in gender roles, and in shamanism.

Author Biography

Sarah Milledge Nelson is John Evans Professor at the University of Denver

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. xi
Preface and Acknowledgments	p. xv
Orientation to Shamanism and the Origin of States: Spirit, Power, and Gender in East Asia	p. 1
What Is Shamanism?	p. 3
Who Were the Wu?	p. 5
State Formation	p. 6
Archaeology	p. 7
Texts	p. 8
Organization of the Book	p. 9
Niuheliang, China	p. 14
Landscapes, Legends, and Skyscapes	p. 19
Landscapes	p. 19
Myths and Legends	p. 31
Skyscapes	p. 38
Interaction between Earth and Heaven	p. 42
Conclusion	p. 46
The Puyang Burial, China	p. 47
What is a Shaman?	p. 51
The Archaeology of Religion, Magic, and Ritual	p. 54
Shamans in Ethnology	p. 57
Shamans in History	p. 61
Other Beliefs and Rituals in East Asia	p. 63
Practices of Shamans	p. 67
Material Culture of Shamans	p. 68
Current Shamanism in East Asia	p. 71
Variability of Shamanisms in Ancient East Asia	p. 72
Conclusion	p. 74
Yoshinogari, Japan	p. 76
Power, Leadership, and Gender	p. 81
Shamanism and Power	p. 81
Leadership Strategies	p. 84
Theories of Leadership	p. 85
Obtaining Power	p. 86
Qualities of a Leader	p. 92
Ideologies of Leadership	p. 93
Women as Shamans and Leaders	p. 95
Conclusion	p. 99
Anyang, China, Tomb No. 5-Lady Hao	p. 100
Shamans in the East Asian Neolithic	p. 105
Neolithic Chronology	p. 109
Possible Evidence of Neolithic Shamans	p. 112
Conclusion	p. 138
Kamegoaka, Japan	p. 140
Shamanism in Early Chinese States	p. 143
Evidence of Xia	p. 146
Evidence of Shang	p. 151
Means of Reaching the Spirits	p. 156
Critiquing the Shaman Hypothesis	p. 162
Warring States	p. 163
Conclusion	p. 166
Sanxingdui, China	p. 168
Shamanism in Korea	p. 171
Paleolithic and Neolithic	p. 172
Bronze Age	p. 174
The Han Commanderies	p. 179
The Korean Three Kingdoms	p. 181
Current Shamanism in Korea	p. 190
Conclusion	p. 191
Hwangnam Daecheong, Korea-Burial of a Ruling Queen?	p. 192
Shamanism in the Japanese Islands	p. 199
Kami	p. 200
Japanese Archaeology	p. 200
Early Japanese History	p. 207
Shamanism in Present-Day Japan	p. 208
Ryukyu Islands	p. 210
Conclusion	p. 212
Haniwa, Japan	p. 213
Retying the Knots: Leadership, Ideology, Cultural Patterns, Gender, and Shamans in East Asia	p. 217
Times, Trends, and Gender	p. 218
Context and the Cultural Mosaic of East Asia	p. 224
Other Gender Issues	p. 228
Present-Day Shamanism in East Asia	p. 229
Conclusion	p. 230
References	p. 233
Index	p. 265
About the Author	p. 283
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