Mandarins and heretics : the construction of "heresy" in Chinese state discourse / by Junqing Wu.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wu, Junqing, 1984- author.

Series:

Religion in Chinese societies ; volume 11.

Religion in Chinese societies, 1877-6264 ; volume 11

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Religion and state--China--History.

Religion and state.

Cults--China--History.

Cults.

Sects--China--History.

Sects.

Religion and politics--China--History.

Religion and politics.

China--Religion--History.

China.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (190 pages)

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, [2017]

Summary:

"In Mandarins and Heretics, Wu Junqing explores the denunciation and persecution of lay religious groups in late imperial (14th to 20th century) China. These groups varied greatly in their organisation and teaching, yet in official state records they are routinely portrayed as belonging to the same esoteric tradition, stigmatised under generic labels such as "White Lotus" and "evil teaching", and accused of black magic, sedition and messianic agitation. Wu Junqing convincingly demonstrates that this "heresy construct" was not a reflection of historical reality but a product of the Chinese historiographical tradition, with its uncritical reliance on official sources. The imperial heresy construct remains influential in modern China, where it contributes to shaping policy towards unlicensed religious groups."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Mandarin wine in Western wineskins: terminological problems

A pre-history: black magic and Messianism in early political and

Legal discourse

Landscape of late imperial religious life

Black magic in the heresy construct

Messianism in the heresy construct

Victims of the heresy construct

Heresy in the modern era: transmission and transformation.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

90-04-33140-9

OCLC:

956340503

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789004331402 DOI