Review by Choice Review
It is indeed an encouraging gauge of the advancements in Daoist scholarship that we have begun to move beyond the question of what Daoism is to a more sophisticated and germane inquiry into how Daoists identify themselves. Edited by Livia Kohn (Boston Univ.) and Harold Roth (Brown Univ.), this work brings together an impressive collection of international scholars in Daoist studies, each of whom addresses in one way or another the issue of how Daoists over the centuries have created a unique identity that sets them apart from Buddhists and Confucians. The 13 essays cover an extraordinary amount of historical, sociological, and methodological territory. In addition to fine textual studies on the earliest developments in Daoist self-identity, the work also contains several studies on contemporary formulations and ritualistic practices. Recent fieldwork done in Taiwan and Hong Kong by Japanese scholars offers unique glimpses into the little-known world of contemporary East Asian Daoism. The introduction superbly ties the diverse essays together, reflecting the state of current scholarship by demonstrating that "identity" is never a static phenomenon, particularly where Daoism is concerned. It is instead a dynamic, evolutionary process of interaction between Daoists and Chinese culture, politics, and history. Recommended for undergraduates through faculty. J. W. Dippmann Central Washington University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
