Zoe Beattie
HUMS 150B1
September 17, 2023
Written Response 4: Shamanism, Taoism, and Confucianism
Prompt: For this response, write 250+ words describing and contrasting the ways in which both
Daoism and Confucianism used Cannabis.
Response: Daoism and Shamanism incorporated cannabis into their practices, with Daoism
tracing its origins to prehistoric China and attributing its foundation to Lao Zi, who left
government service due to corruption. In Daoist rituals, cannabis played a role in purification
ceremonies dedicated to the gods. Daoists believed that practitioners of the Tao could connect
with Perfected Immortals through incense, eliminating the necessity to retreat into the mountains
for spiritual experiences. A passage from Reading 1a says, “...if taken in excess will produce
hallucinations. If taken over a long term, it makes one communicate with spirits and lightens
one’s body” (Li: 446). This was how Daoist used cannabis — in order to get in touch with spirits
and communicate with them during their practices.
In contrast, Confucianism emphasized rigorous ritual practices, led by Kong Fuzi (Confucius),
who focused on maintaining social order and stability. Confucian classics like the
Book of Rites,
Classic Poetry, Book of Documents, and I
Ching mentioned various uses of hemp. Some of these
books mentioned using hemp clothes for rituals, like mourning the death of someone's parents. It
was also used as food. As said in the reading, “As a food crop, the seed was one of the major
grains of ancient China, the use of which gradually decreased until it was finally forgotten as a
grain for human consumption” (Lin: 437) Lastly, hemp played a role in lacquerware production,
with hemp cloth strips integrated into bamboo during the varnishing process.
Citations:
Li, Hui-Lin. "An Archaeological and Historical Account of Cannabis in China."
Economic Botany, 4th series, vol. 28, Nov.-Dec. 1974, pp. 437-48.
JSTOR,
www.jstor.org/stable/4253540#metadata_info_tab_contents
.
Accessed 5 Feb. 2023.
Word count: 313
