Shrines to Living Men in the Ming Political Cosmos

Sarah Schneewind

$78.95

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Harvard University, Asia Center
31 December 2018

Asian history; Religious institutions & organisations

Series: Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph Series

Shrines to Living Men in the Ming Political Cosmos, the first book focusing on premortem shrines in any era of Chinese history, places the institution at the intersection of politics and religion. When a local official left his post, grateful subjects housed an image of him in a temple, requiting his grace: that was the ideal model. By Ming times, the ""living shrine"" was legal, old, and justified by readings of the classics.

Sarah Schneewind argues that the institution could invite and pressure officials to serve local interests; the policies that had earned a man commemoration were carved into stone beside the shrine. Since everyone recognized that elite men might honor living officials just to further their own careers, premortem shrine rhetoric stressed the role of commoners, who embraced the opportunity by initiating many living shrines. This legitimate, institutionalized political voice for commoners expands a scholarly understanding of ""public opinion"" in late imperial China, aligning it with the efficacy of deities to create a nascent political conception Schneewind calls the ""minor Mandate of Heaven."" Her exploration of premortem shrine theory and practice illuminates Ming thought and politics, including the Donglin Party's battle with eunuch dictator Wei Zhongxian and Gu Yanwu's theories.

By: Sarah Schneewind
Imprint: Harvard University, Asia Center
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 30mm
Weight: 662g
ISBN: 9780674987142
ISBN 10: 0674987144
Series: Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph Series
Pages: 378
Publication Date: 31 December 2018
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Sarah Schneewind is Associate Professor of History at the University of California, San Diego.