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The Sacrifice Offering to Oboos

Articles
Wensuo LIU (Sun Yat-sen University)
Year: 
2009
Volume: 
7
Number: 
1
Page: 
1-42
Full Text Download (PDF): 
Abstract: 

The sacrifice offering to Oboo is regarded as one of the traditional cultures of the Mongolian. In this article, the author discussed these questions as below: (1) the basic structure of Oboo and way of offering sacrifices; (2) the main components within the Oboo's sacrifice offering such as its function, worshipping place and object, ritual programs, time, kinds and way of sacrifices; (3) the presentation of these components and their relation with the sacrifice offering's tradition of Northern and Northeastern Asia in historical times, according to Chinese historical writings; (4) the characteristics in transition along with the formation of Oboo and its sacrifice offering. Although it is uncertain that the historical presentation of those components was the sacrifice offering to Oboo, but we believe that they were closely relative and the so-called “Oboo” along with its sacrifice offering should be regarded as a new form developed from the traditional belief-worship of ancient Shamanism in the world of the nomads and hunters in Northern and Northeastern Asia, and finalized until Qing Dynasty. Both of the basic structure of Oboo and its offering rites could be traced back to a very ancient time.

Journal of History and Anthropology