Historical dictionary of Daoism / Ronnie L. Littlejohn.

Author
Littlejohn, Ronnie, 1949- [Browse]
Format
Book
Language
English
Published/​Created
  • Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, [2020]
  • ©2020
Description
xxix, 279 pages ; 24 cm

Availability

Copies in the Library

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Firestone Library - Stacks BL1923 .L58 2020 Browse related items Request

    Details

    Subject(s)
    Library of Congress genre(s)
    Getty AAT genre
    Series
    Historical dictionaries of religions, philosophies, and movements [More in this series]
    Summary note
    Daoism is the oldest indigenous philosophic-spiritual tradition of China and one of the most ancient of the world's spiritual structures. The name Daoism comes from the term dao, which means a "way" or a "road" through the field or woods to one's village. It is also means the "way" to do something, such as how a master craftsman carves wood, makes a bell, or even butchers an ox. But dao is also a nominative in the history of Daoism, referring to the energizing process that permeates and animates all of reality and moves it along. However, both text and practice in this tradition insist that dao itself cannot be described in words; it is not God in the sense of Western philosophy or religion. Daoism has no supreme being, even if there is an extensive grammar about nominally self-conscious entities and powers for which the Chinese use the word "spirit" (shen). For example, the highest powers of Daoism are variously called Taishang Laojun (the deified Laozi), the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi tianzun), the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi), or the Perfected Warrior (Zhenwu). But these are expressions of dao in specific shen; they are not identical to Dao, except in the most unique case--when Laozi, the putative founder of Daoism and author of its major work, Daodejing, is said to be one with the dao. Historical Dictionary of Daoism contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, an extensive bibliography, and more than 400 cross-referenced entries related to the Chinese belief and worldview known as Daoism, including dozens of Daoist terms, names, and practices. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Daoism. --From publisher's description
    Bibliographic references
    Includes bibliographical references.
    Other title(s)
    Daoism
    ISBN
    • 9781538122730 ((hardcover))
    • 1538122731 ((hardcover))
    LCCN
    2019950576
    OCLC
    1108512590
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