Böcker av Vincent Goossaert

The origins of modern Daoism can be traced to the Church of the Heavenly Master (Tianshidao), reputedly established by the formidable Zhang Daoling. This book tells the story of the longue duree evolution of the Heavenly Master leadership and institution.

Making the Gods Speak presents a comprehensive accounting for the processes of divine revelations. Focusing the bulk of his analysis on spirit-writing, Vincent Goossaert offers a ritual-centered framework to study revelation in Chinese cultural history and comparatively with the revelatory practices of other religious traditions.

This book questions whether temples and Daoism are two independent aspects of modern Chinese religion, or if they are indissolubly linked.

The author focuses on ordinary religious professionals, most of whom remained obscure temple employees, showing that these Taoists were neither the socially despised illiterates dismissed in so many studies, nor otherworldly ascetics, but active participants in the religious economy of the city.

Highlights parallels and contrasts between historical events, political regimes, and cultural movements to explore how religion has challenged and responded to secular Chinese modernity from 1898 onwards. This book integrates historical, anthropological, and sociological perspectives in a comprehensive overview of China's religious history.