Death in ancient China : the tale of one man's journey / by Constance A. Cook.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cook, Constance A.

Series:

China studies (Leiden, Netherlands) ; v. 8.

China studies (Leiden, Netherlands), 1570-1344 ; 8

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Burial--China--Jiangling Xian.

Burial.

Jiangling Xian (China)--History.

Jiangling Xian (China).

China--History--Warring States, 403-221 B.C.

China.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (vi, 292 pages) : illustrations

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2006.

Language Note:

English

System Details:

data file

Summary:

This richly illustrated book provides a glimpse into the belief system and the material wealth of the social elite in pre-Imperial China through a close analysis of tomb contents and excavated bamboo texts. The point of departure is the textual and material evidence found in one tomb of an elite man buried in 316 BCE near a once wealthy middle Yangzi River valley metropolis. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of cosmological symbolism and the nature of the spirit world. The author shows how illness and death were perceived as steps in a spiritual journey from one realm into another. Transmitted textual records are compared with excavated texts. The layout and contents of this multi-chambered tomb are analyzed as are the contents of two texts, a record of divination and sacrifices performed during the last three years of the occupant’s life and a tomb inventory record of mortuary gifts. The texts are fully translated and annotated in the appendices. A first-time close-up view of a set of local beliefs which not only reflect the larger ancient Chinese religious system but also underlay the rich intellectual and artistic life of pre-Imperial China. With first full translations of texts previously unknown to all except a small handful of sinologists.

Contents:

Preliminary Material / Constance A. Cook

Chapter One Introduction / Constance A. Cook

Chapter Two Death as Journey in Ancient China / Constance A. Cook

Chapter Three Entering the Earth / Constance A. Cook

Chapter Four Shao Tuo’s Departure / Constance A. Cook

Chapter Five The Topography of the Afterlife / Constance A. Cook

Chapter Six Epilogue / Constance A. Cook

Appendix One Baoshan Divination Text / Constance A. Cook

Appendix Two Baoshan Inventory Text / Constance A. Cook

Appendix Three Wangshan Divination Text / Constance A. Cook

Bibliography / Constance A. Cook

Index / Constance A. Cook.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-281-39983-3

9786611399832

90-474-1063-7

OCLC:

568193856

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789047410638 DOI