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Transcending Texts: Vernacular Drama, Visual Culture, and Collective Memory as Alternative Approaches to the Study of Daoism

Submitted to Program Units
1: Daoist Studies Unit

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Tobias Zürn, Other, Presiding

Abstract for Online Program Book (maximum 150 words)

Daoist studies is dominated by textual scholarship. This panel directs our attention towards rich yet oftentimes sidelined materials beyond texts. The first paper disproves a longstanding assumption regarding a seemingly anomalous figure in the Heavenly Court murals (Royal Ontario Museum). By contextualizing it within Yuan drama, the paper shows that the figure resembles a common representation of the Lord of the Eastern Flower-Palace. The second paper examines the development of the Ghost King’s depiction in Chinese liturgical art (14th to 19th c.) from the Qinglong, Baoning, and White Cloud monasteries, illuminating his transition from a delegate of hungry ghosts to an empowered mediator between heaven, humanity, and the netherworld. The last paper examines the collective memory surrounding Mount Tai, arguing that it has become a "realm of memory" for different entities, Daoist Priests, spirit mediums, and state officials alike, whose seemingly contradictory recollections represent various facets of its history.

Papers

  • Yongshan He, University of Toronto

    A Sovereign in Monk’s Garb: Understanding Daoist Visual Art through Vernacular Dramas

    Abstract

    This paper utilizes vernacular performing art, specifically Yuan dramas, to unravel a longstanding puzzle regarding the identity of a seemingly anomalous main figure in the Yuan dynasty Heavenly Court murals housed at the Royal Ontario Museum. Previous scholarships have predominantly relied on Daoist textual and visual materials to identify this figure, neglecting how a Daoist deity might have been dressed and enacted in theatrical settings at the time, both influenced by and influencing the visual imagination of their contemporaries. Through a careful examination of a group of Daoism-themed Yuan dramas where Daoist deities play important roles, this paper challenges previous scholarly interpretations by arguing that the purported “anomaly” is not anomalous at all, if we prioritize the popular performing art to understand the visual experience of medieval Chinese.

  • Yue Dai, Washington University in St. Louis

    Mediating the Divine and the Profane: The Empowerment of the Hungry Ghost "Burning Face" in Chinese Liturgical Paintings

    Abstract

    The Ghost King of the Burning Face, an esoteric Buddhist deity introduced to China during the Tang dynasty (618-907), plays a significant role in Buddhist and Daoist salvation rituals. This paper examines the development of the Ghost King’s depiction in Chinese liturgical art from the fourteenth to the nineteenth centuries, focusing on artworks from Qinglong, Baoning, and White Cloud monasteries. It traces the transformation from early, ambiguous mural depictions, emphasizing the Ghost King's dual roles in summoning and feeding, to distinct representations in hanging scrolls that present its specific functions on that stage. Along with the deity's progressively refined portrayal, this study illuminates the Ghost King's transition from a mere delegate of hungry ghosts to an empowered mediator bridging heaven, humanity, and the netherworld. Overall, through visual and iconographic analysis, paper illuminates the rich tapestry of Chinese religious art and its capacity to articulate complex theological ideas through visual means.

  • Ziqi Xuan, University of Hong Kong

    The Sacred Mountain as a Realm of Memory: Daoist Priests, Spirit Mediums, and the Officials at Mount Tai

    Abstract

    This paper examines the collective memory surrounding the Mount Tai in contemporary Chinese society, with a focus on the interactions between Daoist Priests, spirit mediums, and the official state. These parties engage in an enduring struggle and compromise, each claiming to possess the most accurate memory and understanding of Mount Tai but differing in their perspectives. Consequently, their divergent memory traditions lead to distinct activities and practices in present-day society. Drawing on fieldwork conducted between September 2023 and January 2024, this study unveils the complex dynamics and competition for control over the discourse surrounding Mount Tai. It argues that Mount Tai has become a "relam of memorie" (lieu de mémoire) for different entities, where seemingly contradictory memories are actually different facets of historical development. Furthermore, this struggle has elevated Mount Tai to China's most significant sacred place.

Audiovisual Requirements

Resources

LCD Projector and Screen
Play Audio from Laptop Computer
Podium microphone

Sabbath Observance

Saturday (all day)
Sunday (all day)
Sunday morning

Full Papers Available

No
Program Unit Options

Session Length

90 Minutes
Schedule Info

Tuesday, 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM (June Online Meeting)

Tags

#Daoism
#Daoist art
#China
#drama
#medieval China
Daoism
Buddhism
Art history
China
Esoteric Buddhism
painting. premodern

Session Identifier

AO25-301