| Sahaliyan Juktehen | |
|---|---|
| Scripture | Shū Heilong |
| Theology | Black Shamanism Folk Religion Ancestor Worship |
| Headquarters | Mukden, China |
| Temples | 2 |
The Sahaliyan Juktehen (Manchu: 
) more popularly also known elsewhere in China as the Hei-Tao (黑套, "Way of Darkness") is a syncretic Manchurian-based shamanistic folk religion, that practices Black Shamanism. It bears much similarity to the Black Shamans and Tengrists of Mongolia (Tiandi Tao), and the Bon religions of Tibet. Together, they are currently one of the religious movements that is part of the "Zhànshì Fènnù Alliance", a religious NGO meant to promote Black Shamanism and demonic religion as being a "misunderstood benevolent religion". Its followers associate themselves with Black Dragon, or Heilong of Chinese mythology as well as Yang energy.
Although found by Manchus, the Hei-Tao is also known as the "Dark Tungusic Faith", due to the fact that the overwhelming majority of its followers are not only Manchus, but also Evenkis, Xibes and Mongols, while some Han Chinese have been recorded as following the religion.
The Hei-Tao is rather controversial, with Buddhists labeling it by the derogatory term "Xié'è Tao", literally "Way of Evil". Chinese Christians have labeled the faith as being a Satanic religion. Many scholars have also labeled it as a reactionary religion against Buddhism, as the religion's followers have been known to use words of Buddhist origin, likely as a means to antagonize Buddhists, such as the term Diyu - the Buddhist term for Hell, in which Socor-Hala Jalušun (also known by his Chinese courtesy name Shé Nánrén (男人), literally "Serpent Man", proudly referred to himself as a "Diyu Zhanshi" (地獄戰士), literally "Warrior of Hell".
In it later development, the Hei-Tao religion started to implement large Toaist and Buddhist influence (often in antagonistic ways), such as their clergy, which were referred to as "Hēi'àn wǔ sēng" (黑暗武僧, "Monks of Darnkess").
The Hei-Tao religion currently operates two main temples, the Grand Temple of Heilong located in Mukden, and the Black Palace and Monastery in Beijing. The main spiritual head is a duo-bpdy known as Ama (ᠠᠮᠠ) "father" and "mother" or Eme (ᠡᠮᠡ).
History[]
The history of the Hei-Tao religion isn't as pronounced. Prior to the solidifying of the religion now known as the Hei-Tao, its followers as many Chinese scholars coin, "Were rural Manchus, rural Tungusic peoples of Mongol-like background practicing Black and Dark Arts." Troops of the Kuomintang referred to them as barbarians following Satanism and deranged practices, and accused these black arts practitioners of committing living animal sacrifices.
However, it was known to begin solidifying during the Manchu Nationalist Movement, in which the followers of the established religion today known as Hei-Tao consider to be the founding spiritual fathers. Chinese soldiers noted them as too, having practiced meditation (as everywhere else in China), however, their meditative practices were focused towards wrathful Deities and energies, something which Buddhists found all the-more appalling.
The elites of other religions, namely the established Buddhism regarded them as a barbarian cult. Socor-Hala Jalušun, who was a practitioner of the Black Arts took that as a "badge of honor", and even referred to himself as the "Diyu Zhanshi" or the "Soldier from Hell" as an antagonizing term against Buddhists.
Jalušun would function as the "scholar" and "foreign minister" of the Manchu Nationalist Movement.
Amid the Sino-Russian conflict, Darkun Hala Fulušun developed an even bigger hatred against Christianity, and reluctantly sided with the Empire of China. Via Socor-Hala Jalušun, the Manchu nationalists made a deal with the Imperial Chinese authorities, they would spill their blood for the Chinese Emperor if the latter recognized their religion, and granted them the rights to build their temples. However, the Hei Tao religion was only the process of coalescing and their meetings were often in different buildings and without a single book or ideology. In reality, they studied already-existing Chinese divinations, as well as Tengrist and Siberian Black Shamanism.
The Zhanhou Emperor grew quite surprisingly intrigued by the dark Manchurian religion, and accepted their offer, and requested to visit the rural communities of the Manchus, however he was unable to and instead, sent an Imperial official by the name of Heng Min-Chao to study their religion. Heng Min-Chao was accompanied by university officials from the Imperial Beijing University.
Ultimately, it is Heng Min-Chao who coined the Chinese terms for the "mysterious dark Manchurian religion". Min-Chao personally met both Darkun Hala Fulušun and Socor-Hala Jalušun in a large wooden building that later become the headquarters of the All-Manchu Council. Min-Chao noted that not a single Han Chinese, or a Qing royal was present in the building, noting that the religion was truly Manchu in nature, what he coined as "raw Manchu culture".
Darkun Hala Fulušun later joined the Imperial Chinese Army, and led an force known as the "Savage Wrathful Black Banners", where they partook in several ferocious battles against Russian forces. They carried their own flag and banners alongside the Imperial Chinese saltire. Although not an actual Banner in terms of proper Manchu Banner hierarchy, the "Black Banners" were known to be extremely deadly fighters, and took on the role of snipers, saboteurs, all the point that Russian troops commented how they brought back eery memories of how the Japanese fought during the Second World War. Fulušun himself even advocated pro-Japanese views.
Many Chinese troops were even beginning to get envious of this "Black Banner" Army. Lt. Han-Song Chaoxiang, as well as former Kuomintang officer Lt. Albertus Dǒng-Xao both met with Lt. Socor-Hala Jalušun, who was all-the-more surprised that Han Chinese would wanna join his religion. Although he taught them well, view both with some mode of suspicion.
Albertus, formerly a Catholic grew absolutely dismayed with his Catholic faith when he had discovered no such blood sacrifices were being formed, nor were the followers of the "Dark Path" uneducated or barbarian as one thought. Socor-Hala Jalušun instructed Albertus Dǒng-Xao not to speak of his faith, and to practice it crypto-form during his return to Nanjing.
In 1977, the first "Black Tao Temple", as it was called (today the Grand Temple of Heilong, the religion's HQ) was established in Mukden, with Socor-Hala Jalušun as its "Master". He simply went by the title "Master Shé Nánrén", literally the "Master Serpent Man". Shé Nánrén's followers were secretive, had no connections with the established Manchu Buddhist elite and the temple was overwhelmingly of Tungusic peoples, or rural obscure backgrounds with some Han Chinese.
Although they used Chinese terms and vocabulary in the public, their rituals and sermons were all in Manchu.
Contrary to mainstream Chinese beliefs that Master Shé Nánrén's followers were adovcating for the destruction of China, it turns out that his followers were encouraged to join the Imperial Chinese military and their followers were heavily involved in Dim Mak martial arts.
The religion reached a major breakthrough with prominence of Akjan Hala Šolontu, or as he was known by his Chinese courtesy and title, Master Jūn Jianhong, who became widely known through East Asia as being a teacher and expert in Dam Mak, whose books are widely popular today. Although going against Shé Nánrén's advise, Jūn Jianhong ended up spilling the beans about his dark temple religion - which eventually, drew the ire of non-Tungusic peoples, as a number of increasing Han Chinese followers began to attend temple services. This led to a cooling of relations between Shé Nánrén and Jūn Jianhong.
Han-Song Chaoxiang, now a Chinese professor of Religious History at the Imperial University of Beijing, returned to Mukden as he wanted to help translate traditional Manchu vocabulary into Chinese. In this, he officially coined the term "Hei-Tao", "Way of Darkness" and became its most prominent Han Chinese member.
Albertus Dǒng-Xao acted as a financial man, and was the one who helped order the construction of the Grand Temple of Heilong in Mukden.
Criminal smuggling allegations[]
In 1983, the Hei-Tao religion received controversy in Russia, when they helped Ivan Simonov, a Siberian Yakut who fell victim to the anti-Asian pogroms in the aftermath of the Sino-Russian war, escape into China, where he was given the Chinese name "Yǐ Chúcún" (已儲存). Russian authorities immediately demanded his extradition. Chinese authorities refused his extradition, and granted him Chinese citizenship.
Practices[]
Black Shamanism and Tantra[]
Followers of Hei-Tao proudly refer to themselves as practitioners of Black Shamanism and Tantric rituals. Their main focus is attracting energies of war, as well as doing rituals to Deities of war. The group however, states that it is not advocating violence or criminal activity, but focusing on the "warrior-aspect of the self".
Master Shé Nánrén stated during an interview, "We do not advocate or condone violence, illegal activity or blood-sacrifice. We meditate on energies that turn us into great warriors, peace has its place, and we embrace peace when the calls for it, but the thing is, nations are constantly under great attack, peace will not solve that and will not fight against a hostile enemy."
Dim-Mak Martial Arts[]
Practitioners of Hei-Tao are also serious about practicing martial arts, particularly Dim-Mak, which also has large influences of Mongolian wrestling into it. This eventually led to the formation of the martial art known as heian zhi quan, literally "Dark Wrath", popularized by Hei Tao master Yǒng Shòu, of Evenki background, which later influenced the formation of the storyline for The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai.
Diet[]
Hei-Tao stresses on a diet high in meat, and has denounced the Buddhist practice of vegetarian diets, stating that meat is essential for bodies of warriors.
Outside China[]
Russia[]
The religion has been adopted by Russians, mostly those who have travelled to China, where it appears as "Хеи-Тао" or also the "Dark Manchurian Religion" (Темная маньчжурская религия, Temnaya man'chzhurskaya religiya). The religion was largely adopted by the Kalmyks, Yakuts and other Asiatic peoples in Russia. Three temples exist in Russia, one in Elista, Moscow and Yakutsk. It has close ties to many Tengrists and Black Shamans.
Orthodox Christians in Russia have labeled the Hei-Tao followers as an "evil Satanic group", and there have been requests by hardliner Orthodox groups for local authorities to ban the Hei-Tao. However, some Russian and Christian nationalists have defended the Hei-Tao, stating that their religion is more of a practice and a lifestyle rather than anything worship-related, such as Vladimir Schlossberg, spokesperson for the Nationalist Front.
Japan[]
In Japan, the religious is known as Kuraito (暗い道), meaning "Way of the Dark". They are also known as "Dark Shintos" (闇神道, Yami shintō). They have temples in all of Japan's major cities, as well as fringe temples across the rural Japanese countryside. They are often associated with extremist militarist nationalists. Master Hariyoshi Kurosaki, who is the Master of the Kyoto Black Dragon Temple, and a noted spokesperson for the Party of Imperial Glory, was a vocal supporter for Japan exiting the Western and American sphere of influence. They are known to be heavily conservative.
Mongolia[]
In Mongolia, it is known by its original Manchu name, Sahaliyan Juktehen. It was found by proponents of Black Shamanism, and is known in Mongolia as "Black Tengrism" or Khar Tengeriin shashin.