Blue Dragon White Tiger: Taoist Rites of Passage (Asian Spirituality, Taoist Studies Series)

A view of Chinese religion from the Taoist perspective, derived from field work in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the People’s Republic of China, this book is based on the Taoist hypothesis that all Chinese rites of passage and festivals are structured by Yin-yang Five Element cosmology. Buddhist and Taoist meditation of emptying, marriage, birthing, initiation, burial, ancestor rituals, and the annual festivals are described through the eyes of the experts called on to serve family and village needs. The work ends with a view of religion in the People’s Republic of China during a period of renewal and restoration.