The History of Magic and Divination in China

Ancient Chinese peoples were believers in spiritual matters, and psychic powers. Evil spirits fought against protective ones in all facets of these peoples lives. There was no question of whether such notions were reality, in history of magic and divination in China, because people were open to those forces, and could feel them. Divining the proper course to take was a natural way of life, and no one who took success seriously, including mighty emperors, ignored the aid and understanding a reading was able to provide. The planting of crops and the migration of nomads were both equally mystical things for which they sought guidance.

Another item to be considered in the history of magic and divination in China, is the Chinese Zodiac. Calculated differently than the western zodiac, ancient Chinese took great care to study how the stars, planets, and moon affected their lives. Chinese astrologers were men of generally high respect, and were thought to bridge a gap between the people and the gods of the heavens. With a properly detailed astrological chart, and an advisor skilled in the use of I Ching, emperors were better aligned with cosmic forces to confront challenges and adopt new principles in government.

In the history of magic and divination in China, we see all of Chinese history. Indeed the two are so closely entwined that it becomes difficult to relate its political history without relating its adherence to the forces of psychic phenomena. From the Shang Dynasty of 3600 years ago, to the worldwide acceptance and use of the I Ching today, the cultural and mystical history of China forms a single thread of human understanding and acceptance of the universe.