The Evolution Of Magic Thought In Guo Yu

Guoyu, the Discourses of the States, is a classical Chinese history book thatcollects the historical records of numerous states from the early Western Zhou to themid war-state period of spring and autumn, which includes matters of society, politic,military, economy, ethic and religion, contributing a lot to research on ideas and cultureof pre-Qin Dynasty. Furthermore, this book reserved much materials of ancestors’religion, which means it reflects the change from primitive culture to the old rationalcivilization. Witchcraft is a indispensable part to Chinese culture, which also influencesthe whole nation on their mentality, morals and values. Consequently, research on thewitchcraft in Guoyu has a great academic value and contemporary relevance.This paper has profound development history of witchcraft in the pre-Qin period,gives a deep description of every factor of Witchcraft: sacrifices, supernatural forcesand augury, and discussed its significance in transformation time. Firstly, the rolewitchcraft plays on transitional time when primitive culture changes into nationalcivilization, in this phrase, witchcraft shits from decentralized to centralized, which issignificant to religion, establish the common psychological basis of Chinese minorities,and tribes become related tribes during this period. Secondly, from Western Zhou to thewar-state period of spring and autumn is full of sociological changes, as a result,witchcraft transforms into rational civilization. With the rational factors in witchcraftgrowing and Rationalism springing up in this time, Witchcraft, as a culture has lost itsposition of the centre of Chinese culture. Besides, from the government to folks,witchcraft has slightly effect on political, military affairs and sacrifices. Fables’ theories,as representatives of rationalism, gradually become to the main stream of ideas andculture.In the research method part, the author adopts the methods of literature,anthropology, philosophy and philology to do theory research and rational analysis. Thispaper concludes the development and cultural value of witchcraft evolution duringpre-Qin Dynasty, which provides some useful lessons to the transformation of modernculture.