Even every object is animated, as well as the
Universe of which it is a part."(26)
(26) J. J. M. de Groot: Religious System of China, Vol. VI,
Leyden, 1910, p. 929.
In the animistic religion of China, the Wu represented a group of
persons of both sexes, who wielded, with respect to the world of
spirits, capacities and powers not possessed by the rest of men. Many
practitioners of Wu were physicians who, in addition to charms and
enchantments, used death-banishing medicinal herbs. Of great antiquity,
Wu-ism has changed in some ways its outward aspect, but has not altered
its fundamental characters. The Wu, as exorcising physicians and
practitioners of the medical art, may be traced in classical literature
to the time of Confucius. In addition to charms and spells, there were
certain famous poems which were repeated, one of which, by Han Yu, of
the T'ang epoch, had an extraordinary vogue. De Groot says that the
"Ling," or magical power of this poem must have been enormous, seeing
that its author was a powerful mandarin, and also one of the loftiest
intellects China has produced. This poetic febrifuge is translated in
full by de Groot (VI, 1054-1055), and the demon of fever, potent chiefly
in the autumn, is admonished to begone to the clear and limpid waters of
the deep river.
Pages:
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65