Russell Kirkland – författare

This clear and reliable introduction to Taoism (also known as Daoism) brings a fresh dimension to a tradition that has found a natural place in Western society. Examining Taoist sacred texts together with current scholarship, it surveys Taoism's ancient roots, contemporary heritage and role in daily life.From Taoism's spiritual philosophy to its practical perspectives on life and death, self-cultivation, morality, society, leadership and gender, Russell Kirkland's essential guide reveals the real contexts behind concepts such as Feng Shui and Tai Chi.

This clear and reliable introduction to Taoism (also known as Daoism) brings a fresh dimension to a tradition that has found a natural place in Western society. Examining Taoist sacred texts together with current scholarship, it surveys Taoism's ancient roots, contemporary heritage and role in daily life.From Taoism's spiritual philosophy to its practical perspectives on life and death, self-cultivation, morality, society, leadership and gender, Russell Kirkland's essential guide reveals the real contexts behind concepts such as Feng Shui and Tai Chi.

These fifty-nine pioneering articles by scholars from around the world (17 women / 22 men) showcase recent advances in Taoist Studies. Instead of upholding conventional paradigms, these innovative studies expand our very concepts of Taoism by probing social and historical dimensions unimagined by twentieth-century minds. Overturning virtually all customary premises, they demonstrate Taoist activities by centuries of emperors, officials, literati, and women; Taoist involvement in medicine, the sciences, and the very origins of printing; Taoist art, architecture, music; even Taoists as healthcare providers. Rather than decaying in late-imperial or modern China, Taoism has continued to evolve and reach new audiences (for instance marketing age-old self-cultivation practices to educated men and women in today’s urban settings). A critical Introduction by Russell Kirkland (author of Taoism: The Enduring Tradition and co-editor of Routledge Studies in Taoism) analyzes the Present Generation compared to earlier scholars. This collection offers today’s freshest, most stimulating insights into Taoism’s durability and rich diversity. It is an essential work of reference and is destined to be valued by scholars and advanced students as a vital research tool.

This clear and reliable introduction to Taoism (also known as Daoism) brings a fresh dimension to a tradition that has found a natural place in Western society. Examining Taoist sacred texts together with current scholarship, it surveys Taoism''s ancient roots, contemporary heritage and role in daily life.From Taoism''s spiritual philosophy to its practical perspectives on life and death, self-cultivation, morality, society, leadership and gender, Russell Kirkland''s essential guide reveals the real contexts behind concepts such as Feng Shui and Tai Chi.