Power of place

the religious landscape of the Southern Sacred Peak …

James Robson

506 pages  |  ~14 hrs

Comparative Religion

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Power of place

the religious landscape of the Southern Sacred Peak (Nanyue) in medieval China

By James Robson

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.

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

Topics

Religious aspects Mountains, china Buddhism Relations China, social life and customs Religious aspects of Mountains Mountains China, history History Taoism

Details

Published
2009
Publisher
Harvard University Asia Center
ISBN-13
9780674033320
ISBN-10
0674033329
Pages
506
Language
EN
LC Classification
BL1812.M68 R63 2009