Making the Gods Speak: The Ritual Production of Revelation in Chinese Religious History

Vincent Goossaert's book "Making the Gods Speak" explores divine revelations in Chinese cultural history and compares them to other religious traditions, focusing on spirit-writing and ritual practices.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 26 August 2022
Publisher: Harvard University, Asia Center

Making the Gods Speak is a comprehensive exploration of the processes of divine revelations. In his insightful analysis, Vincent Goossaert delves primarily into the realm of spirit-writing, providing a ritual-centered framework to examine revelation in Chinese cultural history and its comparative significance alongside other religious traditions.

The book offers a rich and detailed account of the various methods and practices employed by individuals to communicate with the divine, including spirit-writing, divination, and other forms of spiritual communication. Goossaert meticulously examines the historical, cultural, and religious contexts in which these practices emerged and flourished, shedding light on their significance and impact on the lives of believers.

Through his comprehensive analysis, Goossaert demonstrates how spirit-writing played a central role in shaping Chinese religious beliefs and practices. He explores the various techniques and methods used in spirit-writing, such as channeling, trance induction, and the use of oracle bones or other divination tools. He also examines the role of spirit-writing in the formation of religious texts, such as the Tao Te Ching and the I Ching, and how it contributed to the development of Chinese philosophical and ethical systems.

In addition to its focus on spirit-writing, Making the Gods Speak also explores the broader context of revelation in Chinese cultural history. Goossaert examines how revelation interacted with other religious traditions, such as Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and how it influenced the development of Chinese society and culture. He also discusses the historical and political factors that shaped the reception and interpretation of revelation in different periods, such as the imperial era and the modern era.

One of the key strengths of Making the Gods Speak is its interdisciplinary approach. Goossaert draws on a wide range of sources, including historical documents, religious texts, and scholarly research, to provide a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of revelation in Chinese cultural history. He also incorporates insights from other fields, such as anthropology, sociology, and psychology, to shed light on the psychological and social dimensions of religious practices.

Overall, Making the Gods Speak is a groundbreaking work that offers a fresh and insightful perspective on the processes of divine revelations. By examining the role of spirit-writing in Chinese cultural history and its comparative significance alongside other religious traditions, Goossaert provides a valuable contribution to the study of religion and culture. This book will be of interest to scholars and students of religion, history, and cultural studies alike.

Weight: 610g
Dimension: 236 x 159 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674270947