Deities System and Ritual Practice: A Case Study of the Daur Shamanic Oboo Ritual

The paper examines the revival of Daur shamanism in contemporary China through a case study of the oboo ritual. It describes the ceremony's process, shaman spirits, and divine songs, analyzing the ritual's characteristics and functions. The ritual introduces the concept of "mokun kurə" (mokun circle), which restores the traditional clan organization's function, strengthens family cohesion, and fosters responsibility and motivation among members.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The restoration and reconstruction of Daur shamanism is classical and representative of the revival of shamanism in contemporary China. The case study of the Daur shamanic oboo ritual in this paper discusses the connotation and classification of oboo. Through a brief description of the main process of the ceremony, the shaman spirits, and the main contents of the divine songs, this paper analyzes the characteristics and functions of the contemporary Daur shaman sacrificing oboo ceremony. The contemporary Daur shamanic oboo ritual also puts forward the concept of “mokun kurə” (mokun circle), which restores the function of the traditional clan organization of mokun, enhances the cohesion of the mokun family, and inspires a sense of responsibility and motivation in the mokun members.