A Thought Tour of the Chinese Occult

This video lecture was originally set to be titled “Syncretism in Chinese Occultism,” but we’re going to modify it to “A Thought Tour of the Chinese Occult.” If you’re going to watch this video, then buckle in and settle down, because it’s a long one and I start you off in extremely ambitious territory—the deepest most obscure layer of Eastern esoteric thought. In our tour of Chinese folk shamanism, we’ll look at two specific practices: the tang ki (spirit-possessed mediums) and dreamwork. Then we’ll review a few more intersecting points of Buddhist and Taoist syncretism, such as the emphasis on meditation and mudras; how Legalist thought has had an impact on the structure and codes of conduct set by orthodox Taoist lineages; and one compelling feature of how Confucianism plays in to the occult: the master-student relationship. After visiting Confucius, the Buddha, and Lao Tzu, we’ll discuss Chinese folk religions, the very important craft consideration of regional land spirits, what tradition