Taoism -- Research; Confucianism -- Research; Buddhism -- China; Islam -- China; Popular culture -- Religious aspects; China -- Religion
摘要
This issue opens with the second half of "Chinese Religions: The State of the Field," a project edited by DANIEL L. OVERMYER and supported by the China and Inner Asia Council of the Association for Asian Studies. This part focuses on recent studies of religious traditions that are still active today; the previous section, published in the February 1995 issue, surveys "Early Religious Traditions from the Neolithic through the Han." Following an introduction by OVERMYER, FRANCISCUS VERELLEN evaluates the role of Taoism in the larger context of Chinese society and civilization. His assessment of the state of Taoist studies in Western language writings highlights selected aspects of Taoist thought and practice, Taoist history, and primary sources available for the study of Taoism. RODNEY TAYLOR and GARY ARBUCKLE concentrate on recent studies of Confucianism that explore its religious dimensions. In their consideration, the issue of the "religiousness" of Confucianism lies at the heart of debates in Confucian studies. JOHN R. MCRAE assesses the "impressive accomplishments and profound limitations" of the English language scholarship on Chinese Buddhism. He notes the considerable work done on Ch'an and other schools of Buddhism as well as the gaps in coverage of the post-Sung era. DRU C. GLADNEY shifts the focus to Islam in China. His brief overview of the scholarship on Islam pays special attention to the so-called "Hui" Muslims. The final essay of this collection by STEPHEN F. TEISER examines the anthropological and historical writings relating to popular religion. Its assessment of this literature concentrates on underscoring changing beliefs and practices and the religious aspects of the kinship system and of rites of passage.
目次
Introduction 314 Glossary 318 List of References 318
