A History of Shaolin
Buddhism, Kung Fu and Identity
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:12th Mar '19
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This hardback is available in another edition too:
- Paperback£36.99(9780367660390)
Shaolin Monastery at Mount Song is considered the epicentre of the Chan school of Buddhism. It is also well known for its martial arts tradition and has long been regarded as a special cultural heritage site and an important symbol of the Chinese nation. This book is the first scholarly work in English to comprehensively examine the full history of Shaolin Monastery from 496 to 2016. More importantly, it offers a clear grasp of the origins and development of Chan Buddhism through an examination of Shaolin, and highlights the role of Shaolin and Shaolin kung fu in the construction of a national identity among the Chinese people in the past two centuries.
"...it is impossible to deny that Shaolin has indeed played an important role throughout Chinese history and has certainly contributed to the construction of a strong national identity. Moreover, the true strength of this volume lies not so much in Lu’s conclusions about the importance of Shaolin, but rather the exposition itself of the most comprehensive history of Shaolin in English to this date."- Joseph Chadwin, University of Vienna
"This book provides original insights that make a robust case for understanding the Shaolin Monastery as part of the national culture through its alignment with successive Chinese rulers. Lu’s delicate brushwork paints a multi-layered and nuanced exploration of every dimension of Shaolin within a complex social context."
Dr. Meishan Zhang, Trinity College Dublin
"A book which, I believe, will collaborate in a special way for studies related to Chinese martial arts, the history of Asia/China and Buddhism."
Prof. Rodrigo Wolff Apolloni, Centro Universitário Uniopet, Brazil
"Lu’s grasp of the inscriptions in place at the temple itself offers tantalising interpretations of Shaolin’s nature."
Dr. Jonathan Clements, Martial History Team
ISBN: 9780367204600
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 720g
294 pages