Over the past five years, Scarecrow Press has published nearly 20 titles in its Religions, Philosophies, and Movements series.
Historical Dictionary of Taoism, like its predecessors in the series for Buddhism, Sikhism, Hinduism, and Bahaism, is a welcome addition to the reference literature for Asian and other non-Judeo/Christian religions, given the paucity of English-language sources devoted exclusively to a particular tradition.
The volume consists of nearly 275 alphabetically arranged entries covering persons, practices, and concepts, although structural flaws detract from its usefulness. First, this work needs an index. Writing for nonspecialists, Pas has "tried as much as possible to provide names and titles in English, rather than in Chinese." See references are provided from transliterated Chinese to English, but, in some cases, vice-versa. An index would have minimized the use of see references and allowed for the inclusion of variant forms of transliteration, names/terms included within an entry but for which no separate entry exists, and a grouping of related entries by subject. Second, entries occasionally give citations to supplemental works, but the references are abbreviated, forcing the user to turn to a bibliography at the end of the dictionary for the complete bibliographic citation. This is especially annoying when one finds that the bibliography is divided into subjects, with citations arranged alphabetically by author under each subject heading. Consequently, the user must search for a citation under every subject heading.
Other features of this dictionary include a 20-page chronology, consisting of three columns which juxtapose Chinese dynasties, events in Taoist history, and events in Buddhism and other schools in China. This is followed by a 50-page introduction to Taoism. But the reader would do better by first consulting the entry for Tao (The Way) or by reading the last section of the introduction which addresses the nature of Taoism. Otherwise, the reader will end up with historical information about a concept that is never defined.
Historical Dictionary of Taoism has advantages over the existing reference literature in English. The Shambhala Dictionary of Taoism (Shambhala, 1996) is shorter, contains fewer entries, and is less academic in tone and presentation than Pas' work. The Shambhala Guide to Taoism (Shambhala, 1997) provides some historical overview and much information on Taoist ritual practice. The overview articles on Taoism in Encyclopedia of Religion [RBB O 1 87] are excellent, but this source is perhaps not the best for a quick lookup of terms or individuals. Finally, Companion Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy (Routledge, 1997) includes a chapter on Taoism in Chinese philosophy, though the concern of this work is philosophy and not religion.
In his preface, Pas recognizes that his work is quite modest when compared to reference sources in Japanese and Chinese, and hopes that readers will forward suggestions to him for a future improved second edition. In addition to the aforementioned structural issues, expanded content will be necessary. For example, some regard Tsao-chun as an important deity in Taoism, but Pas' work has no separate entry for him, nor is he mentioned in the entry Gold Cinnabar Taoism. Libraries, however, needn't wait for that new and expanded edition but would do well to purchase the present volume, since it is the most comprehensive English-language guide to Taoism to date.
Review
...offers not only numerous entries for special terms but also a comprehensive introduction that discusses historical developments and current research...constitutes an excellent study guide and reference source. (
Choice )
...an objective and historically correct view of Taoism as both religion and philosophy...entries are well developed...The dictionary section provides many details of Taoist history and current practice in a readable and easily understood form...will be of significant value to students of religious studies and to anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating ancient tradition. (
Arba )
...well organized and gives accurate descriptions of the texts, personages, places, organizations, and practices presented...a helpful resource for those wishing to take initial steps in finding out about the Taoist tradition...accurate and reliable in its information and gives useful references to key Western books and articles in the field. (
Review Of Bibliography In Sinology )
This bibliography is a helpful guide to further reading that may deepen the interested reader's understanding of Daoism. All libraries should acquire a copy. (
Daoist Studies )
...a welcome addition to the reference literature for Asian and other non-Judeo/Christian religions...the most comprehensive English-language guide to Taoism to date. (
Booklist/Rbb )
