Religious Experience and Lay Society in T'ang China: A Reading of Tai Fu's 'Kuang-i chi' (Cambridge Studies in Chinese History, Literature and Institutions)

The remains of Tai Fu's lost collection Kuang-i chi ('The Great Book of Marvels') preserve three hundred short tales of encounters with the other world. This study develops a style of close reading through which those tales give access to the lives of individuals in eighth-century China. Through the eyes of a mid-century county official the picture emerges of a complex lay society, served by a mixed priesthood of ritual practitioners, whose members' lives at all levels were profoundly shaped by their perceived experience of contact with the other world. It was a society embarking on fundamental change, and this book uses the sharp historical focus of Tai Fu's collection to study the dynamics of that change. The work gracefully reveals the transition from the beliefs and institutions of early mediaeval China towards those we now recognize as modern. The Remains Of Tai Fu's Lost Collection Kuang-i Chi (the Great Book Of Marvels) Preserve Three Hundred Short Tales Of Encounters With The Other World. This Study, The First Of Its Kind, Develops A Style Of Close Reading Through Which Those Tales Give Access To The Lives Of Individuals In Eighth-century China. Through The Eyes Of A Mid-century County Official Emerges The Picture Of A Complex Lay Society, Served By A Mixed Priesthood Of Ritual Practitioners, Whose Members' Lives At All Levels Were Profoundly Shaped By Their Perceived Experience Of Contact With The Other World. It Was A Society Embarking On Fundamental Change, And This Book Uses The Sharp Historical Focus Of Tai Fu's Collection To Study The Dynamics Of That Change. Mixed In With Reflections Of Ephemeral Events And Clear Evidence Of Long-term Continuity, It Discovers Signs Of A Transition From The Beliefs And Institutions Of Early Mediaeval China Towards Those We Now Recognize As Modern. 1. A Sequence Of Voices -- 2. A Contemporary View -- 3. The Dynamics Of Tai Fu's World. Flawed Oppositions. Movement In Time -- 4. The Worshippers Of Mount Hua. The Temple And Its Cult. A Vernacular Mythology -- 5. Yu-ch'ih Chiung At An-yang. Sixth-century Background. Dynastic History. Inscriptions On Stone. Anecdotal Sources -- 6. Victims Of The Yuan Ch'ao Rebellion -- 7. Mating With Spirits. Divine Women. Mortal Women -- Appendix: The Stories Of Kuang-i Chi. Glen Dudbridge. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 239-252) And Index. The voice that will open this book belonged to a young provincial woman of the eighth century: A girl of T'ung-lu named Wang Fa-chic has served the spirit of a young man since early in life.