In thirteenth-century China, a Daoist monk named Gao Daokuan
(1195-1277) composed a series of illustrated poems and accompanying
verse commentary known as the Daoist Horse Taming Pictures. In this
annotated translation and study, Louis Komjathy argues that this
virtually unknown text offers unique insights into the
transformative effects of Daoist contemplative practice. Taming the
Wild Horse examines Gao's illustrated poems in terms of monasticism
and contemplative practice, as well as the multivalent meaning of
the "horse" in traditional Chinese culture and the consequences for
both human and nonhuman animals. The Horse Taming Pictures consist
of twelve poems, ten of which are equine-centered. They develop the
metaphor of a "wild" or "untamed" horse to represent ordinary
consciousness, which must be reined in and harnessed through
sustained self-cultivation, especially meditation. The compositions
describe stages on the Daoist contemplative path. Komjathy provides
opportunities for reflection on contemplative practice in general
and Daoist meditation in particular, which may lead to a
transpersonal way of perceiving and being.
General
Imprint: |
Columbia University Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
2019 |
Authors: |
Louis Komjathy
|
Dimensions: |
229 x 152 x 18mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
264 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-231-18127-3 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
0-231-18127-2 |
Barcode: |
9780231181273 |
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