Piao han: The creation of Manzu identity and the shamanic tradition

The Guan are a Manzu clan living in the village of Yi Lan Gang, Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China. Research was undertaken in China from 1995 to 1997. A discussion of social relations in north-east China is provided to establish context. The Manzu way of life is described diachronically using the work of Sergei Shirokogoroff and the author's own research. The various anthropological approaches to shamanism are reviewed and consideration of the social and political role of shamanism is proposed. Analytical categories of ethnicity are developed that are reflected in Manzu communities, where concerns with tradition, authenticity, and regional variation lead to an active consideration of the nature of shamanism. By examining what occurs while the Guan are planning and performing their ceremonies, the meanings of shamanism for the Manzu are revealed. The Guan shamans counteract opposition to the retention of their ethnic identity by stressing the importance of their genealogy and adjusting their shamanic practice to emphasise aspects of their ethnicity that they wish to promote. They use shamanism to improve guan xi with potential collaborators in their project to preserve the integrity of the clan and the sense of ethnicity that entails. Much of what was distinctive about their ethnicity has changed profoundly, but they believe deeply that they are piao han, meaning fearless and competent, and that this is the core of Manzuness. Shamanic rituals honouring the ancestors are used to reconstitute the essential elements of Manzu identity for the benefit of the clan members. The shamanic performance is a symbol that provides an opportunity for the people to consider an idealised reflection of themselves and integrate that image into their understanding of who and what they are.