"Confucianism and Its Rivals" by Herbert A. Giles offers a comprehensive exploration of the rich tapestry of Chinese religions, spanning the dominance of Confucianism and Taoism to the historical role of Northern Buddhism. As China's state religion, Confucianism evolved, shedding metaphysical aspects to become the dominant spiritual force until the 20th century. Giles, a seasoned British diplomat and renowned sinologist, provides a detailed historical...

The essential Taoist guide to living with simplicity, compassion, and integrity This is a book that draws on ancient Chinese wisdom to explore the critical life issues: What is our place in nature? How do we make right decisions? How do we respect the earth? How are we to view life and death? What is the path we should live to truly achieve a good and meaningful life? For Deng Ming-Dao, the two entry points for this exploration are two words: The...

The four travelers run into difficulties and temptations in a nation of women and girls. First, the monk Tangseng and his disciple Zhu become pregnant after drinking from the Mother and Child River. Later, the nation's queen meets Tangseng and pressures him to marry her. He barely escapes that fate, only to be kidnapped by a powerful female demon who takes him to her cave and tries to seduce him. The travelers must use all their tricks and strength...

"One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2012" "Winner of the 2013 Cover/Jacket Merit Award in the Professional, Scholarly Series category, New York Book Show" Richard J. Smith is the George and Nancy Rupp Professor of Humanities and professor of history at Rice University. His many books include Fathoming the Cosmos and Ordering the World: The Yijing (I-Ching, or Classic of Changes) and Its Evolution in China. How the I Ching became one...

Filled with hard-won personal observations and practical, tested exercises for following The Way, Every Day Tao lives somewhere between the Tao of this and that, so popular lately (good advice, maybe, but is it Taoism?) and the more traditional teachings of writers steeped in academic study and Eastern culture. Leonard Willoughby comes to the Tao as a Western seeker, looking for both a spiritual practice and a method of living. In this book, he frankly...

Le Chemin de l'Éveil illustré par le dressage du buffle dans le bouddhisme Chan, le dressage du cheval dans le taoïsme, le dressage de l'éléphant dans le bouddhisme tibétain. Un recueil commenté de textes d'éveil spirituel issus des traditions bouddhiques et taoïstes, o la trajectoire spirituelle est représentée par les étapes de dressage du buffle, du cheval et de l'éléphant. Les textes chinois, tibétains et japonais sont accompagnés...

In the realm of visionary thinkers and spiritual pioneers, the works of William Blake and Neville Goddard stand as beacons of profound insight and transformative wisdom. Both Blake's "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" and Goddard's teachings on imagination and consciousness invite us to explore the depths of our existence and challenge conventional perspectives on spirituality

-- San Francisco Chronicle

It is the ancient days of the Persian Empire. Hadassah was content in her quiet life in the Jewish quarter of the city of Babylon with her uncle Mordecai, who had raised her from childhood. But she was old enough to be married, and yet her uncle hadn't arranged a marriage for her. Meanwhile in Shushan, King Ahasuerus' marriage to the vain and selfish Vashti has ended, and a new wife must be found. Why not bring to him the most beautiful women of the...

Within the common destiny is the individual destiny. So it is that through the telling of one Chinese peasant woman's life, a vivid vision of Chinese history and culture is illuminated. Over the course of two years, Ida Pruitt-a bicultural social worker, writer, and contributor to Sino-American understanding-visited with Ning Lao T'ai-ta'i, three times a week for breakfast. These meetings, originally intended to elucidate for Pruitt traditional Chinese...