Following a catastrophic defeat at Changping in 260 BCE, and the reported immolation of close to half a million Zhao soldiers by Qin, a mysterious figure appeared on the stage of history. He was called Heguanzi, the ‘Pheasant Cap’ master and appeared incognito. Seemingly a political refugee, this Daoist Demosthenes in outspoken jeremiads warned against a looming danger of total collapse and Zhao’s imminent annexation by the ruthless kingdom of Qin. Pheasant Cap’s writings, long neglected and misunderstood, combine a potent mix of religion, metaphysics, philosophy, politics and strategy to unroll a vibrant picture of life and death in perhaps the most climactic period of Chinese history. Against the totalitarian system of Qin, he offers an alternative vision of meritocracy and inclusiveness to unite a fractured world. Marnix Wells offers readers the first full translation and analysis in any language.

Contents and Introduction

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Examining early Daoist texts, this work finds a thematic and soteriological unity rooted in the mythological symbolism of chaos, fundamental for both philosophy and practice in cosmic, social, and individual life. Interdisciplinary and interpretive in outlook, it challenges prevailing conceptions of the Daode jing and Zhuangzi as philosophical texts without religious significance or affinity with later organized schools while also placing Daoist gourd imagery and creation mythology into a wider comparative context. Controversial and at times playfully provocative, the book with its the unique methodology and intriguing findings is essential for understanding key facets of Daoism both China and the world.

Contents and Introduction

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Beyond the Daode jing is the first monograph to present early Twofold Mystery (chongxuan). teachings systematically to a Western audience. Dividing into four parts that cover historical context, key thinkers, major texts, and philosophy, the book ranges in its discussion through various dimensions, including cosmogony, epistemology, salvation, and the pantheon. It not only provides a superb introduction to the intricate philosophy of Twofold Mystery, but also explores Tang Daoist religious philosophy an important but largely unknown field in the intellectual history of China. Offering a prime example of the continuous literati engagement with ancient Daoist thought in general and the Daode jing in particular, this is a topnotch scholarly work of great relevance.

Contents and Introduction

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