Mysticism and Kingship in China
The Heart of Chinese Wisdom
eBook Features
-
Read Anywhere
Read your book anywhere, on any device, through RedShelf's cloud based eReader.
-
Digital Notes and Study Tools
Built-in study tools include highlights, study guides, annotations, definitions, flashcards, and collaboration.
-
Offline Access
(
100% )
The publisher of this book allows a portion of the content to be used offline.
-
Printing
(
5%
)
The publisher of this book allows a portion of the content to be printed.
Additional Book Details
In this book, Julia Ching offers a magisterial survey of over four thousand years of Chinese civilisation through an examination of the relationship between kingship and mysticism. She investigates the sage-king myth and ideal, arguing that institutions of kingship were bound up with cultivation of trance states and communication with spirits. Over time, these associations were retained, though sidelined, as the sage-king myth became a model for the actual ruler, with a messianic appeal for the ruled. As a paradigm, it also became appropriated by private individuals who strove for wisdom without becoming kings. As the Confucian tradition interacted with the Taoist and the Buddhist, the religious character of spiritual and mystical cultivation became more pronounced. But the sage-king idea continued, promoting expectations of benevolent despotism rather than democratisation in Chinese civilisation.
| Sold By | Cambridge University Press |
|---|---|
| ISBNs | 9780511885686, 9780521462938, 9780521462938, 0511885687 |
| Language | eng |