Jadeology 22: Who Were the Ancient Gods?

Was ancient jade merely decorative, or was it a medium for the divine? Archaeological evidence from Neolithic jade artifacts suggests that early societies didn't just admire these stones—they feared and revered the powers they represented. Ancient texts dating back over 3,000 years describe li (禮)—complex ritual practices centered on sacred communication with gods through jade. Together, the dirt of archaeology and the ink of textual records reveal a singular truth: jade was the primary technology of the spirit.

The Ancient Spiritual Hierarchy

The late Japanese scholar Hayashi Minao conducted influential research into these early belief systems, proposing that Neolithic China operated under a highly structured spiritual cosmos:

• Supreme Deity (Di 帝): The ultimate, celestial authority governing the universe.

• Divine Beings (Shen 神): Deities responsible for natural forces—wind, rain, rivers, and mountains.

• Ancestors (Guishen 鬼神): The spirits of the departed, capable of intervening in the lives of the living with either blessings or punishment.

This hierarchy reflects a worldview where humanity, nature, and the divine were inseparably woven together.

Jade, Faces, and Divine Power

Many ancient jade pendants depict stylized “deity faces” with exaggerated, predatory features—most notably, prominent teeth. These weren't meant to be "pretty"; they likely symbolized the raw, terrifying power of the divine. By wearing these jades, the Longshan people aimed to invoke celestial protection and assert spiritual authority within the human realm.

Interestingly, we see echoes of this animistic cosmology today in Japanese Shinto 神道. In Japan, the divine presence is perceived everywhere—in towering mountains, deep forests, and the small Jizō statues lining countryside roads. This suggests a deep, lingering continuity of a belief system that once spanned across East Asia.

Shamanism and the Role of the Wu (巫)

Scholar K.C. Chang famously proposed that early Chinese religion was fundamentally shamanistic. In this view, the animal figures found in ancient jade and bronze were not mere ornaments; they were "helpers" that allowed a specialist to bridge the gap between worlds.

While shamanism is a global phenomenon—often involving dance, fire, and altered states of consciousness—Chinese shamanism had a distinctive ritual signature. Rather than using psychoactive plants, ancient practitioners often used ritual wine to induce the trance-like states required for divine communication.

These specialists were known as the Wu (巫).

Is "Wu" Simply a Chinese Shaman?

Modern textbooks often draw a hard line between "primitive" shamanism and the "sophisticated" philosophy of Daoism. However, when we look at actual ritual practice, that line nearly evaporates:

• The Pace of Yu (禹步): Modern Daoist masters still perform a distinctive, limping dance said to “tread the stars.” This is a direct descendant of ancient shamanic movements.

• Deep Roots: While Daoist philosophy is traditionally attributed to Laozi and Zhuangzi, the rituals they referenced predated them by millennia.

The foundations of Daoism reach back to the Neolithic Hongshan Culture (c. 4700–2900 BCE). We see early expressions of Yin-Yang duality in paired jade burials and objects crafted with one polished side (Yang) and one intentionally rough side (Yin). These were not aesthetic choices; they were the first physical embodiments of cosmic balance.

Conclusion: Reclaiming the Wu

In modern academia, "shamanism" is a useful comparative term, but it is an external one. When we look at the specific cultural heart of China, the correct term is Wu (巫).

The Wu served a role similar to shamans elsewhere, but they did so at the very dawn of Chinese civilization. By using the term Wu, we acknowledge that Chinese spirituality didn't just fit into a global category—it created a unique, enduring system of its own that survives in the jade we study today.