State and Court Ritual in China
State and Court Ritual in China
£151.00
GBPThis broad-ranging examination of Chinese court and state ritual from 1000 BC to AD 1750 represents the first modern comprehensive account of the subject in any language. The essays demonstrate how and why ritual has played such a fundamental and often controversial role in the practice of Chinese politics. By tracing the political and social development of particular rituals, such as imperial funerals and popular religious practices or Buddhist ordination ceremonies and court audiences, the authors set out to convey their historical significance. Further discussion of the role of ritual in relation to language, and elite and popular concepts of emperorhood is included in the volume. The book will be of interest to students of Chinese history, anthropology and religion, as well as those seeking to understand the legacy of that history in modern China.
- First modern account of court and state ritual in China with broad chronological scope covering virtually all major dynasties
- Original documentation with a distinguished cast of contributors
- Interdisciplinary appeal to scholars of Chinese history, religion and anthropology
Product details
September 1999Hardback
9780521621571
460 pages
236 × 161 × 33 mm
0.869kg
2 tables
Available
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction Joseph P. McDermott
- 2. Ancient Chinese ritual as seen in the material record Jessica Rawson
- 3. The feng and shan sacrifices of Emperor Wu of the Han Mark Edward Lewis
- 4. The imperial way of death in Han China Michael Loewe
- 5. The emperor as bodhisattva: the bodhisattva ordination and ritual assemblies of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty Andreas Janousch
- 6. The death rites of Tan Daizong David L. McMullen
- 7. The ceremony of gratitude Oliver Moore
- 8. The imperial household cults Robert L. Chard
- 9. The emperor in the village: representing the state in south China David Faure
- 10. Emperor, elites, and commoners: the community pact ritual of the Late Ming Joseph P. McDermott
- 11. Manchu Shamanic ceremonies at the Qing court Nicola Di Cosmo
- 12. On theatre and theory: reflections on ritual in imperial Chinese politics James Laidlaw.
