Power of place
Book Description
In the sacred mountains of China lies a profound story about how spiritual power moves through landscape and time. James Robson explores the fascinating phenomenon of Nanyue, the Southern Sacred Peak, a title that has migrated between different mountains throughout Chinese history, revealing the fluid nature of sacred space itself.
This scholarly exploration delves into how mountains have served as divine dwelling places, temple sites, and pilgrimage destinations across Chinese civilization. At the heart of the narrative stands the imperial designation of five sacred peaks that were believed to protect the boundaries of the Chinese empire, with Nanyue presenting a unique case study in the mobility of the sacred.
Robson examines the complex layers of meaning embedded in these holy places, from political significance to deep religious symbolism. The book illuminates the intricate negotiations between Daoist and Buddhist traditions as they shared and contested these sacred spaces, raising compelling questions about the boundaries between different spiritual paths.
Through careful analysis of this dynamic religious landscape, readers encounter fundamental questions about how sacred places acquire their power, how that power can be transferred, and what happens when different spiritual traditions meet on common ground. The work offers insights into the relationship between geography and spirituality, showing how physical places become vessels for transcendent meaning and how communities shape and reshape their understanding of the divine through place.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Long (> 400 pages) (~14 hours)
🕉️ Tradition: Comparative Religion
📄 Length: 506 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
- ✓ Explore Mountains, china
- ✓ Understand Buddhist philosophy and practice
- ✓ Explore Relations
- ✓ Explore China, social life and customs
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects of Mountains
- ✓ Explore Mountains
- ✓ Explore China, history
