Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China

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Assembling original contributions, this book is a pioneering attempt to address the Euro-American esoteric reception and appropriation of China.

Positioned between eighteenth-centurys mesmerism and intersections with the modern martial arts current, the contributions specifically centre on nineteenth and early twentieth-century occult appraisals and representations. This book opens up an under-explored area of research in
the field of EastWest interactions and the global history of religions.

Reviews

With the blossoming of research on esotericisms global entanglements, one conspicuous lacuna has remained: the Chinese connection. Not anymore. This pioneering collection firmly establishes Euro-American engagements with China as a central and long-standing element of global esotericism. Its new vistas will shape scholarship for years to come. * Egil Asprem, Professor of the History of Religions, Stockholm University, Sweden *
Esoteric fantasies and orientalist speculations about Chinese religions have played a significant role in Western cultural history, but this a topic that has hitherto been remarkably neglected by scholars. This splendid volume fills a major lacuna and will be the essential point of departure for further research. * Olav Hammer, Professor of The Study of Religions, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark *
This groundbreaking volume offers a penetrating analysis of understudied or previously unknown material. Shedding new light on key dimensions of long-term global entanglements, it is a must-read for anyone interested in esotericism or the reception of Chinese culture. * Per Faxneld, Associate Professor of the History of Religions, Sdertrn University, Sweden *
The wide range of topics and their embedding in current debates make this anthology not only an important read for all those involved in esotericism research, but hopefully also a starting point for further engagement with this hitherto under-studied field. -- Moritz Maurer, Heidelberg University * Religious Studies Review *

Author Bio

Lukas K. Pokorny is Professor and Chair in Religious Studies at the University of Vienna, Austria.

Franz Winter is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Graz, Austria.