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prevent evil, heal the sick, exorcise demons or evil spirits, lead one on
the path to eternal life or prolong it. (Surely Allah is beyond that.)

Shamanism was the dominant belief in China before
Confucianism emerged. It was the support for Confucianism by the
ruling classes that led to its widespread acceptance by the people,
thereby eroding the influence of Shamanism in society.
Shamanism and Confucianism are wholly contradictory to one an-
other. Confucianism appears to be an ethical teaching or a philosophy,
even though it does not have a concept of Allah or the hereafter and is,

as such, a “false” religion. Contrary to Confucianism, Shamans believe
in the power of the “Kam”, in sorcery and the power of good or evil
spirits over people. Confucianism is perceived to promote the values of
“reason, reality, order, control and balance”. Shamans, on the other
hand, were considered an ignorant, disorderly and anarchistic lot
which meant that Confucianism rose upon the decline of Shamanism.
However the decline of Shamanism did not mean that its erroneous be-
liefs, sorcery and quest for eternal life on earth disappeared complete-
ly. Some magic potions, formulae, rituals and other acts of sorcery were
commonly believed by Chinese people to prevent death. Even some

Chinese emperors supported this irrational belief and its accompany-
ing perverted rituals which ultimately led to the creation of another pa-
gan religion. In the 2nd century AD, a number of schools of sorcery,
spiritualism and healers regrouped around certain shaman leaders.
This new movement of exorcism, quest for eternal life and other futile
Shaman practices was offered to people under the name of Taoism.
We will examine over the next pages Taoism and the other pagan

religions that shaped China, but it will be of benefit to examine
Shamanism as the ancient superstitious religion of China (and many
other Asian countries) a little closer.

Islam And Far Eastern Religions