Birth in Ancient China: A Study of Metaphor and Cultural Identity in Pre-Imperial China
- ISBN-10
- 1438467125
- ISBN-13
- 9781438467122
- Category
- History
- Pages
- 172
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2017-10-26
- Publisher
- SUNY Press
- Authors
- Constance A. Cook, Xinhui Luo
Description
Reveals cultural paradigms and historical prejudices regarding the role of birthing and women in the reproduction of society. Using newly discovered and excavated texts, Constance A. Cook and Xinhui Luo systematically explore material culture, inscriptions, transmitted texts, and genealogies from BCE China to reconstruct the role of women in social reproduction in the ancient Chinese world. Applying paleographical, linguistic, and historical analyses, Cook and Luo discuss fertility rituals, birthing experiences, divine conceptions, divine births, and the overall influence of gendered supernatural agencies on the experience and outcome of birth. They unpack a cultural paradigm in which birth is not only a philosophical symbol of eternal return and renewal but also an abiding religious and social focus for lineage continuity. They also suggest that some of the mythical founder heroes traditionally assumed to be male may in fact have had female identities. Students of ancient history, particularly Chinese history, will find this book an essential complement to traditional historical narratives, while the exploration of ancient religious texts, many unknown in the West, provides a unique perspective into the study of the formation of mythology and the role of birthing in early religion.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2017-10-26
- 174 pages
- Paperback
- SUNY Press
Similar books
-
中華世界の誕生: 新石器時代から漢
By Miho Museum中華世界の誕生: 新石器時代から漢
-
The Third Birth of Confucius: Reconstructing the Ancient Chinese Philosophy in the Post-Mao China
By Kashi Ram SharmaThis book is an attempt to unravel the muddled reality of China and will definitely prove a landmark work in the field of Chinese Studies.
-
Between Birth and Death: Female Infanticide in Nineteenth-Century China
By Michelle T. KingUsing a wide array of Chinese, French and English primary sources, the book takes readers on an unusual historical journey, presenting the varied perspectives of those concerned with the fate of an unwanted Chinese daughter: a late imperial ...
-
Childbirth in Republican China: Delivering Modernity
By Tina JohnsonThis book examines the modernization of childbirth in Republican China from several angles and shows how childbirth reform in the name of a modern nation began in Republican-era China.
-
Between Birth and Death: Female Infanticide in Nineteenth-Century China
By Michelle KingUsing a wide array of Chinese, French and English primary sources, the book takes readers on an unusual historical journey, presenting the varied perspectives of those concerned with the fate of an unwanted Chinese daughter: a late imperial ...
-
Ancient China: A Captivating Guide to the Ancient History of China and the Chinese Civilization Starting from the Shang Dynasty...
By Captivating HistoryIn this book, you will be led on a journey through almost 2,000 years of Chinese history, showing you all the ups and downs of those ancient times, the sufferings and joys of the Chinese people, along with their greatest achievements and ...
-
Jesus' Birth Story Comes from Greco-Roman, Chinese and Indian Sources: With Colour Illustrations
By John GoodmanThis book compares the story of Jesus' birth in the Gospel of Matthew with the version found in Luke's gospel. Differences and discrepancies are examined and then an attempt is made to find alternative sources of these stories.
-
The Birth of the State: Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China
By Petr CharvátIn the book titled Birth of the State, readers learn what researchers nowadays think about the rise and stabilization of the oldest statehood in the original civilization centres of the Old World - Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China.
-
The Birth of Chinese Feminism: Essential Texts in Transnational Theory
By Dorothy Ko, Rebecca E. Karl, Lydia He LiuThe book repositions He-Yin Zhen as central to the development of feminism in China, juxtaposing her writing with fresh translations of works by two of her better-known male interlocutors.
-
Religions of Ancient China
By Herbert A. GilesStudents of ancient religion will appreciate the detailed overview of the subject offered in Herbert A. Giles' Religions of Ancient China.