A Cultural Pathway to Addressing Contemporary Mental Illness: Construction and Healing Logic of the “Virtual Illness” Concept in Shamanism in the North of China

In northern China, shamanic practices have developed an indigenous concept called 'virtual illness' to address mental distress arising from modern individuation. Prolonged mental distress is understood as leading to possession by external malevolent spirits, constituting a form of virtual illness. Healing involves attributing misfortune—including failure and mental illness—to the possessed spiritual identity, conducting spiritual healing on that identity, and encouraging individuals to maintain a positive, forward-looking state. This approach builds a psychological foundation for coping with mental illness and offers a unique response to the individualized self. These cultural healing practices adapt to the modern Chinese medical system and provide a targeted perspective for understanding mental illness in China's individuation process, prompting philosophical reflection on the concept of the self.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mental illness has become increasingly prominent in the modern individuation process in China. Correspondingly, contemporary shamanic practices in the north of China have gradually focused on mental issues and have constructed an indigenous concept related to them: “virtual illness.” Based on many years of fieldwork conducted in the shamanic regions of the north of China, this study focuses on the healing practices of local shamans. By integrating theoretical resources on the “self” from sociology and shamanic studies, it explores the cultural practices and therapeutic logic formed by local shamans around the concept of “virtual illness” in addressing contemporary socio-psychological anxiety. Studies indicate that within the shamanic conceptual system of this region, prolonged mental distress is prone to possession by external malevolent spirits, thereby becoming a form of virtual illness. The healing process of possession-type “virtual illness” reflects the regional shamanic approach to explanation and intervention within a framework of a holistic self. This is manifested by attributing misfortune, such as failure and mental illness, to the possessed spiritual identity and conducting spiritual healing on the possessed spiritual identity, while encouraging individuals to maintain a positive and forward-looking state. Together, these actions build a positive psychological foundation for coping with mental illness, providing a unique response pathway to the mental illness triggered by the “individualized self.” Cultural healing practices in the north of China for mental illness not only adapt to the modern Chinese medical system and social context, but also offer a targeted cultural healing perspective for understanding mental illness phenomena in China’s individuation process, thereby promoting philosophical reflection on the concept of the “self.”