Daoist Priests of the Li Family: Ritual Life in Village China

Along with Jones moving film Li Manshan: Portrait of a Folk Daoist -- watch here: vimeo.com/155660741 -- this engaging and original book describes a hereditary family of household Daoist priests in rural north China. It traces the vicissitudes of their lives and ritual practices over the turbulent last century through the experiences of two main characters: Li Manshan (b.1946), and his distinguished father Li Qing (1926 99). The story anchors changing ritual practice in the ethnography of ritual specialists and their patrons as they negotiate new challenges, giving a unique flavor of rural life in China today. A vivid portrait of a rapidly changing society, the work will fascinate anthropologists, scholars of Daoism and folk religion, world-music aficionados, and all those interested in Chinese society.