Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese HermitsIn 1989, Bill Porter, having spent much of his life studying and translating Chinese religious and philosophical texts, began to wonder if the Buddhist hermit tradition still existed in China. At the time, it was believed that the Cultural Revolution had dealt a lethal blow to all religions in China, destroying countless temples and shrines, and forcibly returning thousands of monks and nuns to a lay life. But when Porter travels to the Chungnan mountains — the historical refuge of ancient hermits — he discovers that the hermit tradition is very much alive, as dozens of monks and nuns continue to lead solitary lives in quiet contemplation of their faith deep in the mountains. Part travelogue, part history, part sociology, and part religious study, this record of extraordinary journeys to an unknown China sheds light on a phenomenon unparalleled in the West. Porter's discovery is more than a revelation, and uncovers the glimmer of hope for the future of religion in China. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - John_Pappas - LibraryThingThe first foray into an unknown field of research is a challenge. Much of the time is spent searching out false leads and running into dead-ends. Up one hill only to notice several hills that follow ... Read full review
Loved Road to Heaven
User Review - maramai - Overstock.comThis book is part travel part history and a glimpse into a time and place that is seldom visited by westerners. It describes a way of life that has existed for thousands of years but which is quite ... Read full review
Contents
Chinese Dynasties and Republics | |
Four On the Trail of the | |
Five Sound of the Crane | |
Six Road to Heaven | |
Chin 265420 | |
Seven Cloud People | |
Tang 618907 | |
Nine Crossing Heartbreak Bridge | |
FIVE DYNASTIES 907960 | |
Ten Home of the Evening Star | |
Yuan 12781368 | |
Eleven Visiting Wang Wei Finding Him Gone | |
Ching 16441911 | |
Note on the Spelling of Chinese Names | |
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Common terms and phrases
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