9781847064769

Chinese Religion: A Contextual Approach is a new introduction to the field of Chinese religion and culture. It seeks to guide readers through some of the primary source material and to introduce them to continuing, contemporary debates and interpretations of religious ideas, concepts and practices in China and beyond. Defining religion as a way of life, this book examines religious beliefs and practices in particular cultural contexts, and highlights the relevance of religion to personal, communal and political life. In this clear account, Xinzhong Yao and Yanxia zhao move away from the traditional and outmoded definition of Chinese religion, towards a multilayered hermeneutic of the diverse and yet syncretic nature and functions of religions in China. Additional features include questions for reflection and discussion at the end of each chapter and suggestions for further reading at the end of the book. Book jacket.

Xinzhong Yao is Professor of Chinese Religion at King's College London, UK, and author of An Introduction to Confucianism (2000). Yanxia Zhao is Lecturer in Chinese Studies at the University of Wales, Lampeter, UK, and author of Father and Son in Confucianism and Christianity: A comparative Study of Xunzi and Paul (2007).

List of Figures	p. viii
Preface	p. ix
A Timeline for Chinese Religion	p. xv
Setting the Context	p. 1
China and Chinese culture	p. 2
Chinese religion	p. 6
'Three religions of China'	p. 11
Other paradigms	p. 15
The study of Chinese religion	p. 19
Questions for discussion	p. 23
Religion and Zongjiao	p. 24
'Religion' and Chinese religion	p. 25
Zong as ancestral traditions	p. 30
Jiao as the teaching transmitted from the past	p. 34
Zongjiao as religion	p. 39
Religion and the Chinese way of Life	p. 43
Questions for discussion	p. 44
Religion in History	p. 45
Four seasons of religious history	p. 46
The beginnings of religion	p. 49
Growth of religious schools	p. 56
Maturity of religions	p. 65
Religious suppression	p. 73
Questions for discussion	p. 76
Religion as Culture	p. 77
Religion and culture	p. 77
Zongjiao and wenhua	p. 78
Religious culture	p. 83
Moralizing religion	p. 86
Harmony	p. 94
Questions for discussion	p. 102
Religion in Family contexts	p. 103
Family and religion	p. 104
Life and family lineage	p. 109
Ancestor worship	p. 111
Household deities	p. 117
Questions for discussion	p. 122
Religion and State	p. 123
'Protection' vs. 'persecution'	p. 124
Family, state and religion	p. 127
State and state religion	p. 129
Managing religions	p. 133
Judging religions	p. 138
Questions for discussion	p. 145
Religious Beliefs	p. 146
Three underlying themes	p. 148
Belief in ultimate Gods	p. 153
The Chinese pantheon	p. 157
Divinity in humans	p. 163
Questions for discussion	p. 169
Religious Practices	p. 170
Practice and spirituality	p. 171
Meanings of sacrifice	p. 173
Thanksgiving and redeeming	p. 177
Rites of passage	p. 180
Divination	p. 185
Questions for discussion	p. 192
Religion as the Way of Life	p. 193
Questions for discussion	p. 199
A Glossary of Chinese Characters and Terms	p. 200
A Glossary of Chinese Names and Texts	p. 209
Bibliography	p. 214
Index	p. 221
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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Chinese Religion A Contextual Approach

Chinese Religion A Contextual Approach

1847064760

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