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aAn excellent resource.a
--"Library Journal"

China's dramatic transformation over the past fifteen years has drawn its share of attention and fear from the global community and world leaders. Far from the inward-looking days of the Cultural Revolution, modern China today is the world's fourth largest economy, with a net product larger than that of France and the United Kingdom. And China's dynamism is by no means limited to its economy: enrollments in secondary and higher education are rapidly expanding, and new means of communication are vastly increasing information available to the Chinese public. In two decades, the Chinese government has also transformed its foreign relations--Beijing is now consulted on virtually every key development within the region. However, the Communist Party of China still dominates all aspects of political life. The Politburo is still self-selecting, Beijing chooses province governors, censorship is widespread, and treatment of dissidents remains harsh.

In China, leading experts provide an overview of the region, highlighting key issues as they developed in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Edited with an introduction by David B. H. Denoon, an authority on China, this volume of articles covers recent events and key issues in understanding this growing superpower. Organized into three thematic sections--foreign policy and national security, economic policy and social issues, and domestic politics and governance--the essays cover salient topics such as China's military power, de-communization, growing economic strength, nationalism, and the possibility for democracy. Thevolume also contains current maps as well as a "Recent Chronology of Events" which provides a decade's worth of information on the region, organized by year and by country.

Contributors: Liu Binyan, David B.H. Denoon, Bruce J. Dickson, June Teufel Dreyer, Michael Dutton, Elizabeth Economy, Barry Eichengreen, Edward Friedman, Dru C. Gladney, Paul H. B. Godwin, Merle Goldman, Richard Madsen, Barry Naughton, Lucian W. Pye, Tony Saich, David Shambaugh, Robert Sutter, Michael D. Swaine, and Tyrene White.

Winner of the 2022 Association for the Study of Japanese Mountain Religion Book Prize Defining Shugendo brings together leading international experts on Japanese mountain asceticism to discuss what has been an essential component of Japanese religions for more than a thousand years. Contributors explore how mountains have been abodes of deities, a resting place for the dead, sources of natural bounty and calamities, places of religious activities, and a vast repository of symbols. The book shows that many peoples have chosen them as sites for ascetic practices, claiming the potential to attain supernatural powers there. This book discusses the history of scholarship on Shugendo, the development process of mountain worship, and the religious and philosophical features of devotion at specific sacred mountains. Moreover, it reveals the rich material and visual culture associated with Shugendo, from statues and steles, to talismans and written oaths.

This book examines contemporary jihad as a cult of violence and power. All jihadi groups, whether Shiite or Sunni, Arab or not, are characterized by a similar bloodlust. Murawiec characterizes this belief structure as identical to that of Europe's medieval millenarians and apocalyptics, arguing that both jihadis and their European cousins shared in a Gnostic ideology: a God-given mission endowed the Elect with supernatural powers and placed them above the common law of mankind. Although the ideology of jihad is essentially Islamic, Murawiec traces the political technologies used by modern jihad to the Bolsheviks. Their doctrines of terror as a system of rule were appropriated by radical Islam through multiple lines of communication. This book brings history, anthropology, and theology to bear to understand the mind of jihad that has declared war on the West and the world.

A special agency of censors was also organized for the purpose of enforcing the regulations concerning the sanctity of animal life and the observance of filial piety, in the most extended sense. These officers were expressly enjoined to concern themselves with all sects, and with every class of society, not excluding the royal family, while separate officials were charged with the delicate duty of supervising female morals. In practice, this system must have led to much espionage and tyranny] from Chapter VII: Asoka Maurya and His Successors First published in 1906, this classic nine-volume history of the nation of India places it among the storied lands of antiquity, alongside Egypt, China, and Mesopotamia. Edited by American academic ABRAHAM VALENTINE WILLIAMS JACKSON (18621937), professor of Indo-Iranian languages at Columbia University, it offers a highly readable narrative of the Indian people and culture through to the time of its publication, when the nation was still part of the British Empire. Volume II, From the Sixth Century B.C. to the Mohammedan Conquest, Including the Invasion of Alexander the Great, by British scholar VINCENT ARTHUR SMITH (1848-1920), features entertaining and enlightening treatments of: the dynasties before Alexander Alexanders Indian campaign imperial monarch Asoka Maurya the Indo-Greek and Indo-Parthian dynasties the Gupta Empire and the white Huns the reign of Harsha the medieval kingdoms of the north and much more. This beautiful replica of the 1906 first edition includes all the original illustrations.

At the height of the Cold War, the John F. Kennedy administration designed an ambitious plan for the Middle East-its aim was to seek rapprochement with Nasser's Egypt in order to keep the Arab world neutral and contain the perceived communist threat. In order to offset this approach, Kennedy sought to grow relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and embrace Israel's defense priorities-a decision which would begin the US-Israeli 'special relationship'. Here, Antonio Perra shows for the first time how new relations with Saudi Arabia and Israel which would come to shape the Middle East for decades were in fact a by-product of Kennedy's efforts at Soviet containment. The Saudi's in particular were increasingly viewed as 'an atavistic regime who would soon disappear' but Kennedy's support for them-which hardened during the Yemen Crisis even as he sought to placate Nasser-had the unintended effect of making them, as today, the US' great pillar of support in the Middle East.

This invaluable encyclopedia covers all aspects of the conflict in Korea, principally from 1945 to the present. Conflict in Korea features A-Z entries, many of them illustrated, and covers people, events, places, political parties, treaties and agreements, the origins of the conflict, and the involvement of the superpowers, China, and the United Nations. A substantial number of the entries deal with the Korean War itself, but many others focus on developments since the cease-fire of July 1953. Entries cover topics such as abductions and assassinations; the "axe murders" of 1976; border incidents along the 38th parallel; defections, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ); espionage, family reunions, food shortages, and the Korean War in literature and film. Of further use to readers are a chronology, maps, bibliography, and subject index. A-Z entries, many of them illustrated, cover everything from people, places, and political parties, to the origins of the conflict, and the involvement of other nations A chronology, maps, bibliography, and subject index are also included

Wang Fuzhi (1619-1692), a Ming loyalist, was forced to find solutions for both cultural and political crises of his time. In this book Mingran Tan provides a comprehensive review of Wang Fuzhi's understanding of historical events and his interpretation of the Confucian classics. Tan explains what kind of Confucian system Wang Fuzhi was trying to construct according to his motto, "The Six Classics require me to create something new". He sought a basis for Confucian values such as filial piety, humanity and ritual propriety from political, moral and cosmological perspectives, arguing that they could cultivate a noble personality, beatify political governance, and improve social and cosmological harmony. This inspired Wang Fuzhi's attempt to establish a syncretic blend of the three branches of Neo-Confucianism, i.e., Zhu Xi's (1130-1200) philosophy of principle , Wang Yangming's (1472-1529) philosophy of mind and Zhang Zai's (1020-1077) philosophy of qi (material force). The most thorough work on Wang Fuzhi available in English, this study corrects some general misunderstanding of the nature of Wang Fuzhi's philosophy and helps readers to understand Wang Fuzhi from an organic perspective. Building upon previous scholars' research on Wang Fuzhi's notion of moral cultivation, Tan gives a comprehensive understanding of how Wang Fuzhi improves social and cosmological harmony through compliance with Confucian rituals.

The past two decades have brought revolutionary changes in the understanding of the Indian civilization. This book, as an overview of this new understanding, is for the general reader. It is based on several invited lectures at Stanford University, the Berkeley and Irvine campuses of the University of California, and an invited address at the OHM (Dutch Public TV) Congress in the Hague.

Philippine observers are often baffled by the economic and political turmoil that dominates headlines about the country. Yet, at the same time, the Philippines continues to hold the potential for successfully combining political freedoms with sustained economic growth and, thus, improving the lives of its people. In this book, a team of distinguished scholars examines these seemingly contradictory trends in order to gain a sense of the country's prospects. Reassessing the fascinating and puzzling "Philippines conundrum" from various angles, the analyses contribute sharp and fresh insights into a variety of areas including: the presidency and political parties; constitutional change and federalism; the roles of the military, religion, and the media in politics; the conflict in Mindanao; the communist insurgency; macroeconomic developments, issues, and trends; the investment climate and business opportunities; poverty, unemployment, and income inequality; migration and remittances; and the Philippine development record in comparative perspective. While the analyses offered in this volume do not arrive at a consensus, they provide a deeper perspective and a more balanced appreciation of events in the country and a glimpse of the prospects and challenges that it faces.

This book provides theoretical background and pastoral strategies for pastors, lay leaders, and congregation members to foster a restoration of the human dignity imputed by God and the good community God desires. It addresses issues in pastoral care and pays particular attention to Korean and Korean American contexts. Some of the specific issues addressed include wisdom for common life (Chung Yong) as a theological and pastoral task, tension between Confucianism and feminism, care of the abused and abusers in intimate violence, ageism and elderly care, racism and cultural identity of Korean youth, sexual ethics among Korean young adults, and depression and addiction among Korean American youth and young adults. All of the contributors have a strong background in clinical and/or pastoral practices in addition to theoretical expertise.

This book presents a comprehensive account of the historical development of the Charismatic Movement in Taiwan, placing it within the context of Taiwan's religious and political history. Judith C. P. Lin unearths invaluable sources of the Japan Apostolic Mission, the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International Formosa Chapter, and Jean Stone Willans' short stay in Taiwan in 1968. Lin describes and analyzes how the efforts of 1970s charismatic missionaries in Taiwan-including Pearl Young, Nicholas Krushnisky, Donald Dale, Allen J. Swanson, and Ross Paterson-shaped the theological convictions of later Taiwanese charismatic leaders. She also explores significant developments in the Taiwanese Church which contributed to the gradual and widespread recognition of the Charismatic Movement in Taiwan from 1980 to 1995. Lin offers a thorough treatment of history, reconfigures historiography from a Taiwanese perspective, and challenges the academic circle to take seriously the "Taiwanese consciousness" when engaging Taiwan's history.

"One of the least understood and often maligned aspects of the Tokugawa Shogunate is the Ooku, or 'Great Interior, ' the institution within the shogun's palace, administered by and for the upper-class shogunal women and their attendants who resided there. Long the object of titillation and a favorite subject for off-the-wall fantasy in historical TV and film dramas, the actual daily life, practices, cultural roles, and ultimate missions of these women have remained largely in the dark, except for occasional explosions of scandal. In crystal-clear prose that is a pleasure to read, this new book, however, presents the Ooku in a whole new down-to-earth, practical light. After many years of perusing unexamined Ooku documents generated by these women and their associates, the authors have provided not only an overview of the fifteen generations of Shoguns whose lives were lived in residence with this institution, but how shoguns interacted differently with it. Much like recent research on imperial convents, they find not a huddled herd of oppressed women, but on the contrary, women highly motivated to the preservation of their own particular cultural institution. Most important, they have been able to identify "the culture of secrecy" within the Ooku itself to be an important mechanism for preserving the highest value, 'loyalty, ' that essential value to their overall self-interested mission dedicated to the survival of the Shogunate itself." - Barbara Ruch, Columbia University "The aura of power and prestige of the institution known as the ooku-the complex network of women related to the shogun and their living quarters deep within Edo castle-has been a popular subject of Japanese television dramas and movies. Brushing aside myths and fallacies that have long obscured our understanding, this thoroughly researched book provides an intimate look at the lives of the elite female residents of the shogun's elaborate compound. Drawing information from contemporary diaries and other private memoirs, as well as official records, the book gives detailed descriptions of the physical layout of their living quarters, regulations, customs, and even clothing, enabling us to actually visualize this walled-in world that was off limits for most of Japanese society. It also outlines the complex hierarchy of positions, and by shining a light on specific women, gives readers insight into the various factions within the ooku and the scandals that occasionally occurred. Both positive and negative aspects of life in the "great interior" are represented, and one learns how some of these high-ranking women wielded tremendous social as well as political power, at times influencing the decision-making of the ruling shoguns. In sum, this book is the most accurate overview and characterization of the ooku to date, revealing how it developed and changed during the two and a half centuries of Tokugawa rule. A treasure trove of information, it will be a vital source for scholars and students of Japan studies, as well as women's studies, and for general readers who are interested in learning more about this fascinating women's institution and its significance in Japanese history and culture." - Patricia Fister, International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Kyoto

The objective of Walking through Jordan is to acknowledge and honor the singular achievements and wider impacts of Jordan's most prominent survey archaeologist, Burton MacDonald. MacDonald is a biblical scholar by training who has written extensively about the Iron Age and early Christianity. However, unlike many biblical scholars, MacDonald has also undertaken large regional survey projects which encompass the entire gamut of Jordanian prehistory and history. Thus, his work is unique in that it attracts the interest of a wide range of scholars.Contributing scholars from around the world reflect on three important areas of MacDonald's archaeological contributions: on archaeological survey in general, including those focusing on methodology and/or field projects that depend to a large extent on surveys, MacDonald's five major surveys- papers that incorporate data from his field projects and sites tested or excavated by others that were first identified by his work, and the archaeology of the Bronze and Iron Ages, as well as the Roman Period and the early Christian era. Despite his important contributions to prehistoric archaeology, the early historical periods constitute the main emphasis of Burton's scholarly output.