Abstract

The Imperially Commissioned Codex of Manchu Veneration and Thanksgiving (hereafter Codex), completed in the 12th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1747), is the first independent written record of Manchu Shamanism. It meticulously documents the procedures, hymns, and ritual instruments of a religious tradition practiced in the Qing court, which Qianlong identified as indigenous to the Manchus.
This thesis presents the first annotated English translation of the Codex’s ceremonial programs and hymns. The translations of the programs are based on both the Manchu text and its official Chinese counterpart, while the hymns are translated solely from the Manchu original. Besides providing background on the structure and operations of the Qing imperial court, my annotations explicate the meanings of the Manchu terms for the ritual actions, instruments, and ceremonies, many of which were obscured in the Chinese translation.
In the introduction, I examine the existing translations and research on the Codex, the text’s production, and the two types of rituals mentioned in its title—Veneration and Thanksgiving. I seek to address the gaps in previous scholarships stemming from inadequate attention to the Manchu text and misconceptions on Shamanism. This project lays the groundwork for further research into the Qing court’s Shamanic traditions and their broader cultural, social, and political implications.