How They Perceived Asian Witchcraft?

Witchcraft in West Asia has a complex history influenced by cultural, spiritual, and societal factors. Ancient practices were evident in societies like Egypt and Babylonia, as seen in the Code of Hammurabi. Asian witches differ from Western Wicca and paganism, with Shamanic Witches being common throughout Asia. The boundary between master and assistant is often blurred in Japanese witches, who are depicted with uncanny menace in Utagawa Kunisada’s ukiyo-e portraits.

In China, due to the fusion of witchcraft and Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, the ancient Chinese take a relatively ambiguous attitude towards witchcraft and only take measures when it is necessary. Japanese witches do not resist the traditional religion, but their lack of resistance to the Western religion makes them more susceptible to persecution.

In Southeast Asia, there is also a prevalence of witchcraft in places like Thailand and Malaysia, though often the term “witch” is a general one. The woman in question is a Yamamba, or Japan’s mountain witch, who faces scrutiny before returning to her hut.

Witchcraft has had a profound impact on ancient politics, military, law, culture, and even the Chinese way of thinking and values. European witches were often accused of witch trials, and it is unclear whether witchcraft is no longer practiced among Europeans nowadays. In rural China, calling someone a “witch” has serious social consequences.

In conclusion, Asian witchcraft has diverse practices, origins, and modern-day applications, with some practitioners embracing the traditional religion while others face social consequences.

Is witchcraft illegal in China?

Chinese authorities often label religious activities outside the five officially recognized religions as “superstition” or “evil cults”. This is due to Chinese law prohibiting witchcraft and sorcery, and opposing folk religious practices with superstitious elements. Master Yang, or “Miao Sheng”, emerged on social media in 2023 and gained a significant following. Yang is a member of the Miao ethnic group, renowned for its shamans and witches who offer spiritual advice and interact with spirits. Miao folk beliefs are modernized, combining Miao folk beliefs with Buddhist and Taoist themes. Yang’s popularity has led to him becoming an internet celebrity beyond Guizhou.

What was the religion of the Salem witches?

The Puritan religion placed a significant emphasis on adherence to societal norms and expectations. Those who did not align with these norms were often perceived as working with the Devil, which led to a state of panic and distress among the people of Salem.

What are Japanese witches called?

Itako, yuta, and miko are blind women trained as spiritual mediums in the Tohoku area, often compared to witches in the West due to their shamanic skills. Despite the lack of Christian influence on Japanese witches, there is no image of evil connotation with witches in Japan. However, people practicing witchcraft face depictions of the “witch” in anime and children’s literature. Japan serves as a contact zone between Western witchcraft and Japanese tradition, producing various images of witches without the Christian context, leading to a localized witchcraft faith.

Are there witches in Chinese folklore?

Shumu, also known as Shuimu Niangniang, is a water demon, spirit, or witch of Buddhist and Taoist origin in Chinese mythology. She is associated with the youngest sister of the transcendent White Elephant, Buddha’s gate-warder. According to Chinese folklore, Shuimu submerged Sizhou, an ancient Chinese city, under the waters of Hongze Lake in 1574 A. D. She is currently sealed at the foot of a mountain in Xuyi District.

Shuimu is also referred to as The Old Mother of Waters, Fountain Goddess, and Sea Goddess. She has been described in some sources as a woman who can turn into a snake or dragon. According to Henri Dorés “Researches into Chinese Superstitions”, in her “human” form, she carries a sword, two buckets, and black hair with a youthful appearance.

According to Chinese folklore, Shuimu inundated Sizhou yearly, and Yu Huang, or the Jade Emperor, raised an army to capture her and deprive her of her powers. However, Shuimu tricked the army and escaped, continuing to wreak havoc upon the city. One day, Li Laojun, a famous philosopher from Dao, suspected Shuimu was going to attack Sizhou and led a donkey to drink the water from the buckets. However, the donkey couldn’t finish all the water, as the buckets contained the sources of the five great lakes. Shuimu saw through Li Lao’s scheme and overturned one of the buckets with her foot, creating a massive flood that submerged the city.

How was witchcraft viewed in the 19th century?

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, educated Europeans believed that there was no genuine cult of witches and that those persecuted and executed were innocent. However, scholars suggested that there had been a real cult with pre-Christian origins, with Karl Ernst Jarcke of the University of Berlin being the first to advance this theory in 1828. Franz Josef Mone later picked up Jarcke’s ideas, but argued that the cult’s origins were Greek.

Jules Michelet in 1862 proposed that the witches were following a pagan religion, and Egyptologist Margaret Murray in her works The Witch-Cult in Western Europe and The God of the Witches further developed this theory. Murray claimed that the witches were following a pre-Christian religion, “the witch-cult” and “ritual witchcraft”, devoted to a pagan Horned God and celebrating four Witches’ Sabbaths each year: Halloween, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh.

However, Murray’s work was largely critical, and her books never received support from experts in the Early Modern witch trials. Many of her ideas were challenged by those who highlighted her “factual errors and methodological failings”.

When did people stop believing in witches?

Witch persecution in England reached its peak in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, but by the 18th century, witch trials and belief had significantly declined, particularly in elite circles. The traditional explanation for this shift is that the rise of rationality, scientific reasoning, and secular humanism was incompatible with “superstitious” witch belief. However, this explanation is flawed and contains several flawed assumptions. Firstly, enlightenment and post-enlightenment thinkers were more rational than previous periods.

Secondly, scientific discoveries led to disbelief in magic and witches. Thirdly, thinkers who sought to disprove witch existence used secular means. The author argues that elite English disbelief in witches was caused by a new mode of Anglican religious thought, which was engineered to promote a stable social order beneficial to elites.

How were witches viewed in the 16th century?

Witchcraft was once seen as a healing art, performed by cunning folk. However, it was later believed to be Satanic in origin, leading to the passing of laws and trials. Witchcraft was considered a capital offense in 1542, and the Witchcraft Act 1735 reversed this law, making it illegal to practice witchcraft but to claim magical powers or accuse someone of being a witch in Great Britain. Witch trials and accusations were high during the early modern period in Britain, spanning from the 16th century to the end of the 18th century. Witchcraft was no longer seen as a healer or helper, but as the cause of many natural and man-made disasters.

Was there witchcraft in Asia?

Asian witchcraft is a complex phenomenon rooted in ancient societies like Egypt and Babylonia, with references to magic in the Torah and Quran. In South Asia, witch-hunting and abuse of women accused of witchcraft persist in countries like India and Nepal. These deeply entrenched superstitions have led to violence and marginalization, highlighting the need for legal reforms and human rights protections.

East Asia has diverse witchcraft traditions, including Chinese Gong Tau, Japanese folklore featuring witch figures using foxes as familiars, Korean history with instances of spell-related condemnation, and the Philippines’ unique tradition of witches, often countered by indigenous shamans. Legal reforms and human rights protections are crucial to counter these alarming trends.

How was witchcraft treated?

This resource contains legal documents related to witchcraft trials, where accused individuals were accused, witnesses were called, and confessions were made, sometimes with torture. Those found guilty would be executed. However, not all accusations of witchcraft were believed, as people were suspicious of attempts to pretend to be bewitched or be a witch. For instance, Katherine Malpas’ relatives pretended she was a witch for financial gain. Witchcraft caused fear within society but also became a normal part of life.

Newcomers to a community might be accused of witchcraft due to suspicion from their neighbors, or people might pretend to be bewitched for money. The harvest failed, and people became more suspicious of witchcraft. Witchcraft trials became a platform for grievances and disputes to be discussed, and people stood in testimony for or against their neighbors. Understanding the history of witchcraft reveals more about everyday life for ordinary people in early modern England than the supernatural.

Is there magic in Chinese mythology?

Chinese mythology is a diverse collection of stories originating from regional and cultural traditions, often involving extraordinary individuals and beings with magical powers. It has historically been considered a factual record of the past and forms an important part of Chinese folk religion and Taoism. Many narratives from ancient times exhibit a dual tradition, one that presents a more historicized or euhemerized interpretation and another that offers a more mythological perspective.

Many myths explore the creation and cosmology of the universe, deities, and heavenly inhabitants. Some myths focus on the genesis of the Chinese state, while others provide a chronology of prehistoric times, often featuring a culture hero who taught people essential skills. Some myths are revered as the ancestor of ethnic groups or dynastic families.

Chinese mythology is closely connected to the traditional Chinese concepts of li and qi, which are deeply entwined with socially oriented ritual acts, such as communication, greetings, dances, ceremonies, and sacrifices.

What were the views on witchcraft in the 17th century?

During this period, the concept of witchcraft was closely intertwined with the idea of a pact with Satan, which was believed to imbue witches with the capacity to cause harm. Those who held religious beliefs were inclined to take revenge on those they mistrusted or disliked by accusing them of witchcraft.