Popular Religious Movements and Heterodox Sects in Chinese History (China Studies, 3)

This groundbreaking book surveys the entire history of popular religious sects in Chinese history. “Publish this Book!” is the unequivocal recommendation taken from the peer reviews. In part one the reader will find a thorough treatment of the formation of the notions of orthodoxy and heterodoxy in the contexts of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. Chronologically organized, the work continues to deal with each new religious movement; its teachings, scriptures, social organisation, and political significance. The discussions on the patterns laid bare and on the dynamics of popular religious movements in Chinese society, make this book indispensable for all those who wish to gain a true understanding of the mechanics of Popular religious movements in historical and contemporary China. Annotation In rough chronological order from antiquity to the 19th century, Seiwert (comparative religion, Leipzig U.) identifies and describes religious communities and movements outside the official religion. For the period before the Ming dynasty, he looks at prophecies and messianism in Han Confucianism, popular sects and the early Daoist tradition, heterodox movements in medieval Buddhism, and popular sectarianism during the Song and Yuan dynasties. He devotes the second half of the book to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Ma Xisha (world religions, Chinese Academy for the Social Sciences) collaborated on the work. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) This work surveys the history of popular religious sects in Chinese history. It covers the formation of the notions of orthodoxy and heterodoxy in the contexts of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. It also deals with each new religious movements, its teachings, scriptures, and social organization