"Jinzhi (Volumes 1 and 2)"

Author: (British) Frazer
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: One of the greatest books of humankind. — (British) Nature
Dr. James Frazer has left us an eternal monument on the history of science, literature, and Western thought. — U.S. Time Magazine
Frazer's The Golden Bough is one of the greatest works in the history of human culture, written by one of the greatest scholars of our time. Reading this book not only separates the adventurous journey of human civilization but also expands our sympathy and understanding of our fellow humans. This book is worth reading and rereading. — Professor Ashley Montagu
Frazer's The Golden Bough is one of the greatest works, comparable to Thucydides' History, Machiavelli's The Prince, and Newton's Principia Mathematica. Unlike modern research that is built on hollow rhetoric, this book argues that when humans construct their magical beliefs, religions, and theological systems, there are undeniable logical principles and reliable scientific methods behind them. Reading this book is not a difficult task. Although the countless examples seem somewhat verbose, they are scientifically necessary. In addition, Frazer was not only an outstanding historian of religion but also a competent prose writer and sometimes a philosopher. When presenting his views, he had a broad perspective, and his elegant expression and keen insight into society and human nature made readers marvel. — Amazon Customer Review
Accurately speaking, The Golden Bough is the foundational work of modern anthropology. Since its publication, it has been questioned by all sides, but it has excellently withstood the test of time. To this day, it remains an authoritative work on the origins of magic and religion. The Golden Bough originated from an ancient local custom: a temple priest was called the "King of the Forest" but could also be replaced by a runaway slave. However, any other runaway slave who could break a branch from the tree he guarded day and night was qualified to duel with him and could kill him to take his place. The origin and existence of this ancient custom are full of doubts. To investigate this, the author extensively studied customs around the world, collected abundant materials on the primal beliefs of various ethnic groups, and systematically organized them using the comparative method of history, from which he deduced a coherent system and provided convincing explanations and prospects for the origins and development of magic. Unlike other specialized works, The Golden Bough is written in elegant prose, clear in meaning, and presents customs from all over the world in a detailed and engaging manner. Interwoven with numerous thought-provoking insights and comments, the book sparkles with wisdom and rarely feels dull or outdated, making it fascinating to read and hard to put down.