Shamanism and Chinese goddesses : Xi wangmu and Nugua

The two Chinese goddesses Xi wangmu and Nugua might have roots as far back as the Shang dynasty (c.1600-1046 BC).They can with certainty, through texts and iconography be placed in the timeframe of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (771-256 BC). Xi wangmu or Queen Mother of the West is described as a mountain goddess with the fangs of a tiger and the tail of a leopard. Her hair is white and unkempt, and she usually wears a crown made of jade. In iconography she is presented with an entourage consisting of a hare, a toad, a nine-tailed fox, three birds or a three legged bird. Sometimes she is also depicted with men with animal masks or heads, and robed longhaired men with wings. A mythological account from c.300 BC tells us she is goddess of plague and calamity, while during the Han dynasty (206 BC -220 AD) she was believed to have the power to bestow immortality upon man. Worshipers of Xi wangmu started the first recorded millenarian movement in China in the year 3 BC. The physical attributes of the goddess Nugua is that of half snake and half human. She has been described as the first reigning queen and is sometimes said to be one of the Three Sovereigns. Nugua has been designated as the creator of men, family and music. She also rescues the world from a great cosmic disaster. Nugua is a weather controller and is frequently associated with dragons. In iconography from the Han dynasty she is often depicted holding a compass in her hands and as such is the goddess of the centre. Both Xi wangmu and Nugua display shamanistic traits. They have the ability to heal and guide souls heavenwards. Their appearances give associations to shaman’s costumes. Xi wangmu has so many similarities to an actual shaman that I assume she must have been viewed as a divine primordial shaman by her worshipers. While Nugua is a deity whose attributes fits well with a shamanistic religion