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

by Sarah Milledge Nelson

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 Using a mixture of historical documents, mythology, archaeological data, and ethnographic studies of contemporary shamans, she builds a case for shamans being the driving force behind the blossoming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.

304 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2008

Reviews

[Teresa Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good treatise on shamanistic religions and the connection with the formation of East Asian states. I have used this as reference material in some of my papers for university.

[Mills College Library]

201.44095 N431 2008