Physiognomy in Ming China: Fortune and the Body


Book Description

In Physiognomy in Ming China: Fortune and the Body, Xing Wang provides an extensive reading of the Ming (1368-1644 C. E.) texts of a well-known body divination technique ‘xiangshu’ (physiognomy), and investigates its unique ‘somatic cosmology’ in Ming religious and intellectual context.




Fortune and the Body


Book Description




Fate and Prognostication in the Chinese Literary Imagination


Book Description

The essays collected in Fate and Prognostication in the Chinese Literary Imagination deal with the issues hidden in the Chinese conception of fate as represented in literary texts and films, with a focus placed on human efforts to solve the riddles of fate prediction.




Five Classics of Fengshui


Book Description

In Five Classics of Fengshui Michael Paton traces the theoretical development of this form of spiritual geography through full translations of major texts: the Burial Classic of Qing Wu, Book of Burial, Yellow Emperor’s Classic of House Siting, Twenty Four Difficult Problems, and Water Dragon Classic. This theoretical development is analysed through the lens of history, philosophy and sociology of science in an attempt to address Joseph Needham’s conundrum of the "great beauty of the siting" in traditional China being based of such a “grossly superstitious system” and to understand what part fengshui played in the environmental history of China.




Chinese Character Manipulation in Literature and Divination


Book Description

In Chinese Character Manipulation in Literature and Divination, Anne Schmiedl analyses the historical development and linguistic properties of Chinese character manipulation, focusing on a late imperial work on this subject, the Zichu by Zhou Lianggong (1612–1672).




They Believed That?


Book Description

This encyclopedia is the perfect guide to the weird, magical, superstitious, and supernatural beliefs of people from all over the world. This book is devoted to those human beliefs that fall in the "gray zone" between science, religion, and everyday life-call them superstitious, supernatural, magical, or just wrong. In an often incomprehensible world where lightning or plague could end life quickly or drought could condemn a poor family to agonizing death, superstitious beliefs gave people a feeling of understanding or even control. They have continued to shape societies and cultures ever since. This book covers a range of superstitious, supernatural, and otherwise unusual beliefs from the ancient world to the early 19th century. More than 100 entries explain beliefs, discuss historical evidence, and explain how each belief differs across cultures. This book is a perfect gateway for anyone curious about superstitious and magical beliefs, with topics ranging from the everyday, such as dogs and iron, to legendary figures, such as Hermes Trismegistus and the Yellow Emperor.




Face Reading in Chinese Medicine - E-Book


Book Description

An exciting new, full-colour edition of Face Reading in Chinese Medicine featuring over 200 colour photographs and practical instructions on how to conduct a face reading! Face reading has been part of Traditional Chinese Medicine for many centuries, and Professor Lillian Bridges is a popular academic and international lecturer on the subject who gained her fascinating knowledge through her family line of Master Face Readers in China. Based on an understanding of the shapes, markings and features of a face, practitioners can learn about the health and life of a patient relating to the principles of Chinese medicine. In addition to understanding how the body's internal functions - physical, psychological and emotional - can be seen on a face, practitioners can also learn how to evaluate Shen to understand non-verbal expressions. Technical and detailed information is presented in an upbeat, insightful and highly readable manner. This was the first book to focus on the deeper aspects of face reading and diagnosis, this edition includes ancient Taoist knowledge regarding the Original Face and Facial Jing and Qi markers which have previously only been taught through the oral tradition. Clear discussions demonstrate how this technique can be used as a supplement to other diagnostic tools in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Engaging, insightful, highly readable text is written by a well-known and experienced lecturer in the field. Extensive illustrations give you a clear understanding of theories and techniques. A focus on the deeper aspects of face reading and diagnosis helps readers become more conscious of their actions, reactions, and the health consequences of behavior.




Divination and Prediction in Early China and Ancient Greece


Book Description

This book compares the intellectual and social history and past and present contexts of mantic practices (divination) in Chinese and Greek antiquity.




The Other Yijing


Book Description

This book explains the different ways that the Yijing (Book of Changes) was used in Chinese society. It demonstrates that the Yijing was a living text used by the educated elite and the populace to address their fear and anxiety.




Religion and Prison Art in Ming China (1368-1644)


Book Description

Approaching the prison as a creative environment and imprisoned officials as creative subjects in Ming China (1368-1644), Ying Zhang introduces important themes at the intersection of premodern Chinese religion, poetry, and visual and material culture.