Title
Yao Shaman's book
Year/Period
Early-mid 20th century
Region
North Thailand
Technique
Dimension
Object size: 26 x 20.5 x 2 cm
Accession No.
2005-01614
Collection of
This book contains Daoist instructions for Yao shamans to perform a variety of rituals. It is written with a brush and ink in Chinese script with some variations in grammer and characters. The rituals include instructions for ‘opening’ the eyes of the image of a deity and building a new house. Interspersed are ritual symbols and other marks in purple ink.The Yao are thought to have migrated out of central China some 2000 years ago. The myth of their origin speaks of a mythical ancestor in the form of a dog named Pan Ku who fathered the original 12 clans. They maintained a nomadic lifestyle and moved southwards over many centuries.
