"Are there Taoist sorcerers who can Shape Shift (transform into animals) like the bomohs of Malaysia and Indonesia?"
The term "Shape Shifting" encompasses a wide variety of Magical Transformation Skills and techniques practiced throughout ancient China. This type of magic was originally used by Sorcerers either to play tricks on unsuspecting individuals or hide from certain individuals.
Methods Of Shape-Shifting
There are numerous methods used in order to accomplish the magical transformation of Shape-Shifting. Each method will vary according the specific function and and goal of the magical transformation.
Shape-Shifting With Talisman
One popular ancient method of Shape-Shifting required the use of Shape-Shifting Talisman.
A Taoist Master Zheng said:" Take the Talisman for Becoming Invisible ( 《大隱符》 Dayinfu ) for ten days, you may turn left if you want to vanish, and turn right if you want to appear. Or cover your body with Jade Balls ( 玉丸 Yuwan ) or Snake Foot Power ( 蛇足散 Shezusan ). Or put Limu Grass in your bosom and pick some Green Dragon Grass, lying prostrate below the direction of the Six Ding ( 六丁 Liu Ding ). Or go into a bamboo garden, with the Land of the Heavenly Pivot in your hands. Or build a River Dragon Stone House ( 河龍石室 Helong Shishi ) and hide in the shade of the clouds. The magical talisman will also allow You to turn yourself into a little kid or an old man, a bird, an animal, a blade of grass, a tree, or a head of livestock. Transform yourself into a tree if you are near a tree, into the fire if you are close to fire, into water if you are by the water. This is the skill of transforming one's shapes or changing one's appearance, by which you cannot be completely invisible".
Assistance Based Shape-Shifting
Certain Deities are summoned to assist the sorcerer with the desired type of physical metamorphoses.
Low Level Shape-Shifting
In order to master Shape-Shifting, the ancient Taoist Sorcerers would begin their training with "Lower Level" Shape Shifting Techniques - transformation of facial features. In low level Shape-Shifting, it was important for the Daoist Sorcerer to be able to absorb and utilize the environmental Qi. This magical skills also refers to the sorcerer's ability to absorb and use the energy of all the individuals in the surrounding area.
Upper Level (Advanced) Shape-Shifting
After mastering the Low Level Shape-Shifting, the Sorcerer will move on to magical art of metamorphosis of the body, it's shape and it's features. In the most advanced levels of Shape-Shifting, the powerful talismans used to perform this magical skill are no longer needed as the sorcerer has embodied the esoteric magical skill.
Shape-Shift into Animals
There are several common types of animal transformations used in the art of Animal Shape-Shifting, depending on the sorcerer's needs. Shape-Shifting into a Warrior Animal is sometime used for acquiring supernatural power for survival. Shape-Shifting into a Celestial Animal is sometime used for acquiring supernatural power for intuition and healing.
Shape-Shift into a Deity
Because each deity resonates with a specific vibrational formula,specific spells and incantations are used in order to activate certain seed syllables and magical symbols inside the sorcerer's body. This type of vibrational resonance is needed in order to attract the deity.
Records of Shape-Shifting in Ancient Taoist Texts
In the Book "Baopuzi" (抱朴子 Master Who Embraces Simplicity), written by the Jin Dynasty scholar Ge Hong 葛洪 (283-343), it stated " The most important Magical Transformation Skills of change are kept in the five volumes of the Mohist Records of the Five Agents ( 《墨子五行記 》 Mozi Wuxing Ji ). In the past, Liu An copied the essential points into one volume of his book before he passed away. With the aid of a certain medicine and talisman, the man with such a skill was able to fly up and down, hiding himself with different transformed shapes. With a smile on his face, he became a woman, and with her face wrinkled, she became an old man. As he bent his knees, he became a little kid. If he held a stick, it could be turned into wood. If he grew plants, they became melons or fruits, ripe and eatable at once. If he drew a line on the ground, it became a river. If he piled up the soil, it could become a mountain. As he sat there, delicious food of various kinds would appear in front of him. He could do whatever he wanted, such as arousing the clouds or fire.
The White Tiger Skills of the Seven Changes ( 白虎七變法 Baihu Qibian Fa ) recorded that on the 3rd of March one must compose a mixture of all the elements listed below. They are the head skin of a white tiger killed on that day, the blood of a camel and of a tiger, as well as a purple ribbon, the flowers on a pair of shoes, and some duckweed. The duckweed sprouts must look like sesame that will produce seeds after growing ripe. Having gotten those seeds, he must grow it again and again seven times. There will be something different in the seeds each time. Finally mix the seeds with another drug, the mixture of which can transform one's shape and change the features of one's face. Then you can fly anywhere or dive into the waters as you like. The effect is quite similar to what the Mohist Records of the Five Agents and the Hidden Subtlety of the Jade Maiden recorded. There is no skill beyond these two books."
