Religion and Thought in Modern China: the Song, Jin, and Yuan

Description

This four-course sequence will propose a multidisciplinary approach to the study of Chinese cultural history as a succession of modes of rationality (philosophical, bureaucratic, and economic). The emphasis will be on paradigm shifts from one mode of rationality to another. Cultural facts and artifacts—thought, literature, ritual—will be examined in relation to changing social, political, and economic systems for each of these moments.

you will learn :

• This sequence of four courses will propose a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of Chinese cultural history conceived of as a succession of modes of rationality (philosophical, bureaucratic, and economic).
• The focus will be on the moments of paradigm shift from one mode of rationality to another.
• For each of these moments, cultural facts and artifacts—thought, literature, ritual—will be examined in relationship to changing social, political, and economic systems. 

Syllabus :

1. Module 13 Modern China

• Historical background
• Religious change Introduction
• Daoism
• Chaoyuantu
• Buddhist and Daoist altars
• The United Front
• Daoxue as the religion of empire

 

2. Module 14 State Religion

• State control of religion
• Dynastic ancestors
• Huizong
• The role of Confucianism

 

3. Module 15 Local Society

• The village earth god association
• Village earth gods
• Buddhists, Daoists, and kinship institutions
• Shamans
• Chen Chun

 

4. Module 16 Daoism in the Song and Jin

• The Universal Salvation ritual
• Daoist marshals
• The Orthodox Method of the Heart of Heaven
• The Heavenly Masters and the universal pantheon
• Daoist self-cultivation

 

5. Module 17 Buddhism in the Song

• Chan self-cultivation
• Tiantai ritual
• Ritual as self-cultivation
• Rituals for the laity
• Self-cultivation and ritual innovation

 

6. Module 18 Dunhuang

• Cave culture
• Big Buddhas
• In Buddhist ritual
• The central mural and karmic enmity
• The sixteen contemplations
• The final three contemplations

 

7. Module 19 Confucianism in the Song 1

• Background
• The precursors
• The Cheng brothers
• Zhu Xi
• Zhu Xi and Lu Jiuyuan
• Zhu Xi’s exclusions

 

8. Module 20 Confucianism in the Song 2

• Before Zhu Xi
• Zhu Xi: What and how to read
• The role of cosmology and ritual
• The role of the elite
• Daoxue academies

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