Modern Spirit Of Asia The Spiritual And The Secular In China And India, The
Book Description
In a world where Eastern wisdom is often viewed through Western lenses, this illuminating exploration reveals how China and India have forged their own distinctive paths to modernity. Rather than simply adopting Western frameworks, these ancient civilizations have transformed their spiritual traditions in ways that challenge conventional understanding of what it means to be modern.
Peter van der Veer takes readers on a fascinating journey through nineteenth-century imperial encounters, examining how concepts of spirituality, religion, and secular life became tools of cultural translation between East and West. The book unveils how Chinese and Indian thinkers strategically incorporated Western ideas into their nation-building visions while maintaining their unique cultural identities.
What emerges is a compelling portrait of two radically different approaches to balancing the sacred and secular in contemporary society. While India has woven religious identity into the fabric of its national consciousness, China has pursued a path that views traditional spiritual practices as barriers to progress, requiring careful management and control.
For readers seeking to understand how ancient wisdom traditions adapt and survive in our interconnected world, this scholarly yet accessible work offers profound insights into the complex relationship between spirituality, politics, and cultural identity. It demonstrates that modernity itself takes many forms, each shaped by the deep currents of history and tradition that continue to flow beneath the surface of contemporary life.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~8 hours)
📄 Length: 282 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Religious life and customs
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
- ✓ Explore Nationalism
- ✓ Explore Secularism
- ✓ Explore China, social conditions, 1949-
- ✓ Deepen your spiritual understanding
- ✓ Explore China, social life and customs
- ✓ Explore History
