Mongol shamanism was the indigenous religious tradition of the Mongol people, and it was a major feature of the religious life of the steppe peoples. The shamanism was a central feature of the Mongol religion before the adoption of Buddhism, and the shamanism continued to be an important part of the religious life of the Mongols throughout the imperial period.
Mongol shamanism was based on a system of beliefs and practices that centered on the worship of the eternal blue sky, Tengri, the earth mother, Eje, and the spirits of the ancestors. The shamanism was a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to maintain their cultural identity, and the shamanism was a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to maintain the unity of the empire.
The Origins of Mongol Shamanism
The origins of Mongol shamanism are not entirely clear, but the shamanism is generally believed to have originated in the religious traditions of the Inner Asian steppe peoples. The shamanism has been practiced by the Turkic, Mongolic, Tungusic, and other peoples of the steppe for thousands of years, and the shamanism is a major feature of the cultural traditions of the steppe peoples.
The early forms of the shamanism were probably similar to the shamanism of the modern Mongolic and Turkic peoples. The shamanism was based on a system of beliefs and practices that centered on the worship of the sky and the earth, and the shamanism was based on a system of rituals that were performed by the shamans.
The Beliefs of Mongol Shamanism
The beliefs of Mongol shamanism were based on a system of beliefs about the world and the supernatural. The most important of the beliefs were:
- The belief in Tengri, the eternal blue sky, who was the supreme deity
- The belief in Eje, the earth mother, who was the source of fertility
- The belief in the spirits of the ancestors, who were venerated as protectors of the family
- The belief in a variety of local spirits, who were venerated as protectors of the natural world
- The belief in the shaman, who was the mediator between the human and the supernatural worlds
The beliefs of Mongol shamanism were a major factor in the religious life of the Mongols, and the beliefs were a major factor in the cultural identity of the Mongols. The beliefs of Mongol shamanism were also a major factor in the political life of the Mongols, and the beliefs were a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to maintain the unity of the empire.
The Practices of Mongol Shamanism
The practices of Mongol shamanism were based on a system of rituals that were performed by the shamans. The most important of the practices were:
- The use of drums to communicate with the spirits
- The use of chants and songs to invoke the spirits
- The use of dance to enter into a trance state
- The use of divination to predict the future
- The use of healing to cure the sick
The practices of Mongol shamanism were a major factor in the religious life of the Mongols, and the practices were a major factor in the cultural identity of the Mongols. The practices of Mongol shamanism were also a major factor in the political life of the Mongols, and the practices were a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to maintain the unity of the empire.
The Shamans of Mongol Shamanism
The shamans of Mongol shamanism were the religious specialists who performed the rituals and who communicated with the spirits. The shamans were typically chosen by the spirits, and the choice was often marked by a period of illness or other unusual experiences.
The shamans were typically trained by an experienced shaman, and the training typically lasted for several years. The training included the learning of the rituals, the chants, the dances, and the other practices that were central to the shamanic tradition.
The shamans were important figures in the political life of the Mongols, and the shamans often played a major role in the decisions of the khan. The most famous of the Mongol shamans was Kökechin, the shaman who predicted the rise of Genghis Khan and who was an important adviser of the great khan.
The Decline of Mongol Shamanism
The decline of Mongol shamanism was a major feature of the religious history of the Mongols. The decline was caused by a combination of factors, including the adoption of Buddhism, the spread of Islam, and the political changes that took place in the region in the medieval period.
The adoption of Buddhism to the Mongol world in the late thirteenth century was a major factor in the decline of the shamanism. The Mongols gradually adopted Buddhism, and the shamanism was gradually replaced by Buddhism as the dominant religious tradition. The adoption of Buddhism was particularly strong in the Yuan Dynasty, and the shamanism was eventually banned by the Yuan court in the late thirteenth century.
The spread of Islam to the Mongol world in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries was also a major factor in the decline of the shamanism. The Ilkhanate and the Golden Horde gradually converted to Islam, and the shamanism was gradually replaced by Islam in the western khanates.
The Legacy of Mongol Shamanism
The legacy of Mongol shamanism is visible in a number of ways. The most obvious is in the modern Mongolian culture, where the shamanism is still practiced in some rural areas. The other examples include the modern Buryat culture, where the shamanism is also a major feature of the cultural life.
The legacy of Mongol shamanism is also visible in the modern popular culture. The shamanism has been a major feature of many novels, films, and television series about the Mongol Empire, and the shamanism is often used as a symbol of the Mongol cultural heritage. The shamanism is, in this sense, a major cultural symbol of the Mongol world.
Sources
- Jack Weatherford, The Secret History of the Mongol Queens (New York, 2010).
- Anatoly M. Khazanov, Nomads and the Outside World (2nd ed., Madison, 1994).
- David Morgan, The Mongols (2nd ed., Oxford, 2007).