Rectifying God’s Name: Liu Zhi’s Confucian Translation of Monotheism and Islamic Law

Rectifying God’s Name: Liu Zhi’s Confucian Translation of Monotheism and Islamic Law
ISBN-10
0824834747
ISBN-13
9780824834746
Category
History / Asia / China
Pages
272
Language
English
Published
2011-01-31
Publisher
University of Hawaii Press
Author
James D. Frankel

Description

Islam first arrived in China more than 1,200 years ago, but for more than a millennium it was perceived as a foreign presence. The restoration of native Chinese rule by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), after nearly a century of Mongol domination, helped transform Chinese intellectual discourse on ideological, social, political, religious, and ethnic identity. This led to the creation of a burgeoning network of Sinicized Muslim scholars who wrote about Islam in classical Chinese and developed a body of literature known as the Han Kitab. Rectifying God’s Name examines the life and work of one of the most important of the Qing Chinese Muslim literati, Liu Zhi (ca. 1660–ca. 1730), and places his writings in their historical, cultural, social, and religio-philosophical context. His Tianfang danli (Ritual law of Islam) represents the most systematic and sophisticated attempt within the Han Kitab corpus to harmonize Islam with Chinese thought.

The volume begins by situating Liu Zhi in the historical development of the Chinese Muslim intellectual tradition, examining his sources and influences as well as his legacy. Delving into the contents of Liu Zhi’s work, it focuses on his use of specific Chinese terms and concepts, their origins and meanings in Chinese thought, and their correspondence to Islamic principles. A close examination of the Tianfang dianli reveals Liu Zhi’s specific usage of the concept of Ritual as a common foundation of both Confucian morality and social order and Islamic piety. The challenge of expressing such concepts in a context devoid of any clear monotheistic principle tested the limits of his scholarship and linguistic finesse. Liu Zhi's theological discussion in the Tianfang dianli engages not only the ancient Confucian tradition, but also Daoism, Buddhism, and even non-Chinese traditions. His methodology reveals an erudite and cosmopolitan scholar who synthesized diverse influences, from Sufism to Neo-Confucianism, and possibly even Jesuit and Jewish sources, into a body of work that was both steeped in tradition and, yet, exceedingly original, epitomizing the phenomenon of Chinese Muslim simultaneity.

A compelling and multidimensional study, Rectifying God’s Name will be eagerly welcomed by interested readers of Chinese and Islamic religious and social history, as well as students and scholars of comparative religion.

Other editions

Similar books

  • 刘邦传
    By 李莉

    这戚姬年轻美貌,能弹会唱,能歌善舞,且又知书识字,所以一到栎阳,便美倾后宫,技压群芳。刘邦本就是个好色之人,得姬如此,怎不令他心悦,于是,渐渐冷落众美,专宠戚姬,不管走到哪里,常将戚姬带在身边。一日,御史大夫周昌有事要面奉刘邦,趋入殿内没找到皇帝, ...

  • 刘秀传
    By 李莉

    班彪的回答,论述了周、汉废兴具体形势的不同;说明王莽专权,是成帝以后特殊情况所造成的;在这里阐释了反莽斗争中"咸称刘氏,不谋同辞"这种人心思汉现象的实质,即汉德复兴,势不可当。应该说,班彪的回答就像是对隗当头浇了一盆凉水。对于这个回答,隗嚣自然极 ...

  • 西柏坡记忆第柒卷
    By 西柏坡纪念馆编

    西柏坡记忆第柒卷用历史记忆的方式反映和再现了西柏坡时期中国共产党的伟大革命实践活动。内容包括:西柏坡时期我在毛主席身边当警卫;保卫毛主席进北平;师生情谊深——记 ...

  • 中亚古道与古遗址
    By (英)奥雷尔·斯坦因(Aurel Stein)著, 巫新华, 秦立彦译

    西域游历丛书集斯坦因1900-1901年、1906-1908年、1913-1916年三次中国西部探险考古资料于一体,共15册(第一次:1-3册,第二次:4-9册,第三次:10 ...

  • 穿越塔克拉玛干
    By (英)奥雷尔·斯坦因(Aurel Stein)著, 巫新华, 张良仁

    西域游历丛书中的《重返和田绿洲》《踏勘尼雅遗址》《路经楼兰》《从罗布沙漠到敦煌》《发现藏经洞》《穿越塔克拉玛干》六册,是《西域考古图记》的整理本,我社于2000年初 ...

  • 光绪传
    By 董春燕

    于是光绪帝同翁同和等相商,决意采纳杨、徐的奏请,颁诏定国是,推行变法新政。但是,作为这样一件大事,在采取行动之前,光绪帝又要亲往颐和园向西太后请示。西太后毕竟是很有政治手段的清王朝"太上皇"。而且由于她"已许不禁皇上办事,未便即行钳制"。

  • Chinese Grain Economy and Policy
    By Liang Yu Chen, Allan E. Buckwell

    Chen Xikang , Chen Liangyu and Xie Xinwei ( 1983 ) Model of Optimal Farming Structure and its Applications , Agroeconomy ( Nongye Jingji ) , January 1983 . Chen Xikang , Chen Liangyu and Xie Xinwei ( 1985 ) Input - Output Analysis and ...

  • Once Upon a Time in China: A Guide to Hong Kong, Taiwanese, and Mainland Chinese Cinema
    By Jeff Yang

    Armour of God ( 1986 ; Hong Kong , Ac , Cm ) D : Jackie Chan C : Jackie Chan , Alan Tam , Rosamund Kwan , Lola Forner , Bozidar Smiljanic In this flamboyant actioner - clearly inspired by Raiders of the Lost Ark - Chan plays Asian Hawk ...

  • Agribusiness Reforms in China: The Case of Wool
    By Colin Brown, CABI, John William Longworth

    These counties were Huang Cheng County , which is in the area east of the Yellow River and which grows mainly coarse wool , and Sandan County which produces both fine wool and coarse wool . ( Huang Cheng is also the name of ...

  • 巧讀紅樓夢
    By

    經典著作優秀改寫,全白話無障礙讀本,內含精美手繪插圖,人物、典故、成語、知識點隨文注釋,是一版適合青少年閱讀的國學入門書。 ...