The Spirit of China

A general introduction to the ideas, beliefs and conflicting visions that have shaped modern China.

China is an economic giant and influential part of the current world order. What drives its leaders, and what values do they hold? David Burnett answers this question by showing how Chinese religious ideas and practices have developed and changed over the millennia. Only by understanding this broader picture can one come to understand the complex spiritual and religious situation of modern China. Accordingly he explores the influences of Buddhism, Confucianism and the Jesuits; he looks at the Ming Dynasty and the rise of the Manchus; he assesses the motivations behind Mao, Deng Xaio-Ping and the current communist and commercial regime. Why is an atheistic leadership seeing a widespread religious revival, across several faiths? What is the future for the religions of China?