About the book: 2006 / Book by the famous Russian orientalist Professor A.A. Maslova talks about the initiations and mysteries of traditional China associated with the cults of immortals, travel to the afterlife, funeral rituals and the formation of a special spiritual climate, where the most ordinary and mundane things turn out to be sublimely sacred and most significant. A special role here is played by the magical reincarnation of mediums and magicians into half-spirits, half-humans, and the cult of dragons, snakes and birds. Many philosophical teachings, such as Confucianism and Taoism, were the development of these mystical teachings and revelations of ancient mystics. The book is intended for a wide range of readers. * * *Alexey Aleksandrovich Maslov - oriental historian, academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, professor, doctor of historical sciences, head of the department General History of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, visiting professor at a number of American and European universities. A graduate of ISAA at Moscow State University, he worked for a long time at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and studied in China in Buddhist and Taoist communities for more than ten years. Specialist in spiritual culture and history of East Asian countries, mystical cults of China. Author of more than a dozen books and numerous articles.