The Spirit Voyage Poem Analysis

The life of a Chinese shaman is one guided by spiritual wisdom. In ancient China, shamans had a number of roles in their respective communities. For example, a shaman would act as a medium to communicate with spirits beyond the physical realm. Within the community, shamans were commonly sought after for the purpose of spiritually healing the sick by ridding them of evil presences. This was preferred by commoners as the medicine of the time was not acclaimed for its effectiveness. Perhaps the most important facet of a shaman’s life is experiencing what was known as a “spirit voyage.” In undergoing this process, a shaman temporarily vacates his or her corporeal bonds for the sake of communicating with the gods on the other side of conceivable reality. This journey to the spiritual realm is a fundamental aspect of shamanism, and is described in great detail in the Lyrics of Chu. This arrangement of poems serves as a narrative in the voice of a shaman, despite not having been written by actual shamans. Although credit for most of the poems is given to the chinese poet Qu Yuan, it is generally accepted that a variety of poets contributed to the collection over time. For the courtesy of those unnamed, the poem analyzed in this essay will be accredited to “the author” and the narrator referred

to as “the shaman.” However, the time frame during which the poem was written will correspond with Qu Yuan’s life span, from approximately 339 to 278 B.C.E. In the poem, the most significant aspects are the historical context,
In Victor Mair’s Hawai’i Reader in Traditional Chinese Culture, three poems from the Lyrics of Chu are presented in the discussion of Chinese shamanism. Among these poems, Distant Wandering takes a look at the mental journey that is the spirit voyage. Written from the perspective of a Chinese shaman, the poem explores the psychological nuances that come to a shaman’s mind on this journey. The author opens the poem by bemoaning the state of society at the time. This is where historical context is vital in understanding the reasoning behind his disdainful commentary. During Qu Yuan’s life, China underwent the Warring States Period, lasting from 475 to 221 B.C.E. During this politically turbulent time, China was divided into eight states at constant territorial odds. Due to this violent and lengthy transition from the Zhou Dynasty to the Qin Dynasty, there was a great deal of societal disarray, as well as an aggressive approach to legal proceedings. The most prominent philosophy of the time was legalism, which is considered one of the most punitive methods of conducting social affairs. With such an agitated society, shamans in China would have little to rejoice.
The author begins the poem with, “Lamenting the oppression and distress of the world today, I wish to rise up lightly and wander far away.” Referring to the undesirable unrest in China, the shaman reflects on it in dismay. He alludes to the spirit voyage in his wish to escape the confines of society. He then states, “Those who have gone before me - I cannot reach them; those who will come after me - I will never hear from them.” This statement sheds light on the solitary nature of the shaman’s life and practices: he cannot seek advice from those who have made the voyage before him, and he cannot interact with those who have yet to make the trip. Once he begins the voyage, he explains, “Suddenly my spirit starts off and does not return. My withered body alone remains. I look inside myself to steady my self-control, and seek the origin of qi… I will find calm and contentment.”

The poem continues with reference to multiple figures to whom the shaman pays respect during his journey. When he writes, “I have heard how [Master] Red Pine cleansed [the world] of dust,” the author praises an immortal being, Master Red Pine, who was worshiped within the farming community as the “Lord of Rain.” The shaman also mentions Fu Yue, who supposedly became a constellation through spiritual purity, and Han Zhong, who achieved enlightenment through following the Way. The purpose of mentioning these people is purely for the sake of Chinese tradition. Ritual practices often required reverence to religious figures, whether immortal beings or commoners who found enlightenment. Paying respects to these figures essentially justified the practice itself; if one learns life lessons from a being who underwent this process, one should undergo the process as well. This homage acts as an indication of what was commonly practiced in ancient rituals.
The shaman in the poem then enters the spiritual realm after leaving his physical shell. While in this new state, the shaman starts encountering immortal spirits and gods. He recounts his experience by saying:
I will follow Royal Qiao and sport with him… I meet the feathered people at Cinnabar Hill… I suck at the subtle liquor of the Flying Spring… My body melts, becoming soft and supple. My spirit becomes yaomiao… I summon Fenglong and make him lead the way… I will pass by Goumang… The Earl of Wind gallops ahead of us; dust and filth are cleared away, making [us] clean and refreshed.
He makes a number of references to gods and beings such as Royal Qiao, who was believed to be an enlightened heir to Zhou, the feathered people at Cinnabar Hill, who were believed to be immortals, Fenglong, who was the god of clouds and rain, Goumang, the god of the east, and the Earl of Wind, also known as Feilian. With the help of these gods and immortal beings, the shaman sees spiritual cleansing as his spirit becomes “yaomiao,” which is loosely translated as “being distant.”
The main reason why this poem is so useful in understanding the experiences of Chinese shamanism is the medium itself. Poetry is such an effective method of conveying experiences through metaphor and creative terminology. This is evident throughout Distant Wandering, as the author analyzes the mysterious nature of the spirit voyage through such thoughts as, “Levitating to the frontiers of the universe, I turn to look back… below, it is majestic, and there is no Earth. Above, it is vast, and there is no Heaven.” The transcendent journey leaves much to the imagination as the poem concludes without a conclusion in the physical realm. The author ends with, “I am a neighbor of the Magnificent Beginning,” which implies some degree of spiritual fulfillment, but does not mean that society’s problems have been solved.
The spirit voyage by itself is enigmatic and ripe for interpretation by researchers.

The author of Distant Wandering offers a decidedly fascinating look into the experiences of Chinese shamans. In the literature, the context of the Warring States Period is important to comprehend the reason behind the shaman’s lamentations. In addition, the traditional facets of shamanism and Chinese culture in general are vital in the interpretation of such works that describe the voyage in the perspective of a shaman. Distant Wandering is an ideal piece of literature from which to gather an understanding of shaman life, as it is clear in its meaning, yet preserves the ambiguity of the spirit

realm.