A Brief History of Chinese Folk Religions -- Series of Thematic History Books

Author: Ma Xisha
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: A Concise History of Chinese Folk Religion was completed in 1994 and published as A Chronicle of Folk Religion in 1998. Although the chronicle was published seven years ago, it has been read by few, so Mr. Yu Xintang of Shanghai People's Publishing House kindly suggested a second edition, to which I readily agreed. How does this concise history compare to the former? The former is comprehensive, nearly 1.2 million words long, and is difficult for non-professionals to read. Folk religion is an important part of China's religious landscape and an integral component of traditional Chinese culture. This book covers nearly two thousand years, from the late Han Dynasty and the Cao Wei period to the late Qing Dynasty, providing in-depth introductions and discussions on thirteen influential folk religions such as the Maitreya Cult, Manichaeism, the White Lotus Society, the Powerless Cult, the Incense Worship Cult, the Fast Cult, the Yellow Mother Cult, and the Eight Trigrams Cult, from aspects such as historical development, organizational structure, and core doctrines. Especially for the folk religions of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the author cites a large number of official documents and archives as primary sources, conducts rigorous and meticulous research, and strives to approach the original state of history. It is both highly readable and academically sound.