Religions of China in Practice [Hardcover]

Donald S. Lopez Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Series: Princeton Readings in Religions | Publication Date: April 1, 1996

This third volume of "Princeton Readings in Religions" demonstrates that the "three religions" of China - Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism (with a fourth, folk religion, sometimes added) - are not mutually exclusive: they overlap and interact with each other in a rich variety of ways. The volume also illustrates some of the many interactions between Han culture and the cultures designated by the current government as "minorities". Selections from minority cultures here, for instance, are the folktale of Ny Dan the Manchu Shamaness and a funeral chant of the Yi nationality collected by local researchers in the early 1980s. Each of the forty unusual selections, from ancient oracle bones to stirring accounts of mystic visions, is preceded by a substantial introduction. As with the other volumes, most of the selections here have never been translated before. Stephen Teiser provides a general introduction in which the major themes and categories of the religions of China are analysed. The book represents an attempt to move from one conception of the "Chinese spirit" to a picture of many spirits, including a Laozi who acquires magical powers and eventually ascends to heaven in broad daylight; the white-robed Guanyin, one of the most beloved Buddhist deities in China; and the burning-mouth hungry ghost. The book concludes with a section on "earthly conduct".

Editorial Reviews

Review

Due to the quality and quantity of the contributions, this anthology gives readers--in one volume--a wealth of new material on Chinese religions. Perhaps more importantly, it also offers a reconceptualization of the field. -- The Journal of Asian Studies



Excellent and should be an important help to students of Chinese religions and a new model for the study of religion in general that needs to be aware of the variety of manifestations a particular tradition develops within each culture, through all levels of society and across the centuries. -- Journal of Religious Studies
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 520 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr (April 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691021449
• ISBN-13: 978-0691021447
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,175,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overview of chinese religion from original sources., March 11, 2001

By 

Bertram (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Religions of China in Practice (Paperback)

Religions of China in Practice is a wonderful smorgasbord of philosophy, religious stories, poetry and history. The editor sets out to provide an overview of the three main religious traditions of China: Buddhism, Confuciansism and Daoism. This is accomplished with a pastiche of short readings. Readings are arranged according to content rather than by religion and fall into four categories. Sections cover the "Unseen World", human relations with the "Unseen world" (including communication and ritual) and the conduct of day to day affairs.

Each passage is individually translated, and is accompanied by a short introduction furnished by the translator. Fairly extensive additional reading lists are provided at the end of each reading and provide a valuable resource if your interest is piqued by a particular piece. A very extensive general introduction ties the entire book together and provides background information for readers of general interest, who are not scholars in the field of eastern religion.

I, myself, am not a scholar in eastern religion and come to the field mainly through general interest. I was therefore pleasantly surprised at the readability of this book. Some of the poetic pieces (for example - The Seduction Songs of the Perfected) were exquisitely beautiful. Other passages, while less stirring provided me with a clearer understanding of the intricate relationships between the religions of China; something I have often found difficult to understand. I would highly recommend this book to those with more than a passing interest in eastern religion. Although I am not necessarily qualified to speak, I suspect it would also be an invaluable resource to the serious student, given its fairly extensive scholarly accoutrements. Personally, I am looking forward to reading the other books in this collection.