The Rainmaker of Kiauchow

Abstract

The legend of the Rainmaker of Kiauchow, originally told by Richard Wilhelm, influenced C. G. Jung throughout his life. The depth psychologist became convinced that this story from China reflected the essence of his own conception of the human psyche. It describes in symbols the harmony between psyche and matter as it can be experienced by a single person. Through such events a secret order is revealed. With the help of oracles, which have been consulted for thousands of years all over the world, the most diverse cultures have tried to relate to this irrational order and to adjust their actions accordingly. The meaning and handling of this ancient tradition are testimonies to the effect of a principle that C. G. Jung called “synchronicity.” Jung’s hypotheses on synchronicity, which largely coincide with ideas in Taoism, seem to open a door for our Western way of thinking—a door that will enable us in the future to expand our way of looking at the world to include parallel phenomena between the collective psyche and matter, as well as psychophysical phenomena in individuals.