Inheritance between Generations, Magic and Institutions of Power in Early China

Abstract

It is foreseen that the emergence of culture has been a key factor in human evo­lutionary success. However, the richness of cultural forms and significant differ­ences between national cultures complicates the demarcation of cultural prac­tices and natural behavior. This leads to a blurring of the concept of culture and makes possible speculations on the concept of human nature under the slogans of returning to the natural state of human beings and canceling artificial restric­tions. Therefore, a clear understanding of the evolutionary continuity of the hu­man species along with the demarcation of human consciousness and self-iden­tity from their evolutionary predecessors is needed. The authors of this article continue the interdisciplinary study of consciousness and combine it with data from anthropology, history, and philosophy of the Chinese culture, which has been able to maintain uninterrupted continuity for more than three millennia. The most ancient magical practices of the Shang dynasty demonstrate a direct connection with some forms of prehistoric behavior, in which one should look for the foundations of the culture. Merging magic and state institutions under the leadership of the Shang clan caused the transformation of a mystical worldview into a system of more abstract philosophical concepts. The consequent develop­ment of this system in classical canons of the Zhou dynasty became the basis for the formation of the philosophy of the Changes, which reflects the most fun­damental principles of the Chinese culture. This research allows us to con­sider the historical development of culture on a concrete example and question the essence and future of human development.