The Spirits are Drunk: Comparative Approaches to Chinese Religion (SUNY series in Chinese Philosophy and Culture)

The Spirits are Drunk presents Chinese religion as a complex, singular construct that is the basis of Chinese culture and civilization from its inception to the present. It focuses on the development and role of ecstatic religious experience and on the importance of the feminine in religious perceptions. Topics include the underlying structure of Chinese religion through the analysis of ritual; interpretations of the ritual decor of protohistoric sacrificial vessels in relation to ecstatic experience; the comparative study of myths and symbols; the development and interrelationships of shamanism, mediumism, and the mystic experience; the role of ecstatic religious experience in the arts and aesthetics; the importance of female deities; female roles in ritual; and the understanding of Christianity and Christian scriptures in China. 1. Introduction: The Study Of Chinese Religion -- 2. The Essence Of Chinese Religion -- 3. Ecstatic Functionaries In Chinese Religion I: Shamans -- 4. Ecstatic Functionaries In Chinese Religion Ii: Mediums -- 5. The Mystic Experience In Chinese Religion I: Transformation -- 6. The Mystic Experience In Chinese Religion Ii: Expression -- 7. The Fundament Of Religio-aesthetic Expression: Stones And Seals -- 8. Female Spirits And Spirituality In Chinese Religion -- 9. Christianity From The Perspective Of Chinese Religion -- Appendix: Analysis Of Bronze Vessels And Decor Relevant To Chapter 4. Jordan Paper. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 277-308) And Index.