Author | : Terry F. Kleeman |
Publisher | : SUNY Press |
Total Pages | : 356 |
Release | : 1994-08-04 |
Genre | : Social Science |
ISBN | : 9780791420027 |
This scripture was revealed through spirit writing in 1181. It traces Wenchangs development through his many transformations culminating in his apotheosis as director of the Wenchang Palace and custodian of the Cinnamon Record that determines mens and womens fates. The god has since assumed a high position in the Taoist pantheon, has been introduced into the school system and Confucian temples, and now controls the all-important civil service examinations in China. The text translated here provides a unique window into the religious world of Traditional China. Numerous anecdotes of good- and evil-doers reveal the ethical dilemmas facing men and women of the time, from social questions like infanticide and discrimination against women to more purely religious issues such as how evil gods are punished and how Chinas divergent religious traditions can be reconciled.