The Legacy of Chinese Shamanism | ISCSD Book Talk

The International Society for the Critical Study of Divination (ISCSD) presents a Book Talk on The Legacy of Chinese Shamanism: The Wu and Their Successors, edited by Johan Hausen. This landmark volume—the first to focus exclusively on the Chinese wu (often, though contentiously, translated as “shamans”)—brings together interdisciplinary essays tracing the transformations of the wu from antiquity to the present. The book explores their diverse roles as healers, diviners, exorcists, and ritual specialists, as well as their lasting influence on Chinese literature, theatre, medicine, and religious life. The discussion critically examines the evolving significance of the wu, offering fresh perspectives on one of the most enigmatic figures in Chinese cultural and religious history. Featured participants Editor: Johan Hausen Discussants: Justin Penoyer & Dominique Hertzer