Early Daoist Scriptures早期道教经典
- Author / transmission
- Stephen R. Bokenkamp
- Period
- Modern · By Stephen R. Bokenkamp, with one chapter by Peter Nickerson; published by University of California Press, 1997; the first volume in the Taoist Classics series.
- Canon division
- Reference Works
- Collected in
- A modern work.
- Category
- Reference Works
- Fascicles
- 1 Volume
Synopsis
Early Daoist Scriptures is a landmark work of English translation and scholarship on early Daoist texts. Bokenkamp selected key scriptures of Six Dynasties Daoism and translated them in full or in substantial excerpts, with detailed annotations and introductions, including the Xiang'er Commentary on the Laozi, portions of the Taishang Dongyuan Shenzhou Jing (Scripture of Divine Incantations of the Cavernous Abyss), selections from the Zhengao (Declarations of the Perfected), texts of the Shangqing scriptural corpus, the Duren jing (Wondrous Scripture of the Upper Chapters on Limitless Salvation, or Scripture of Salvation), and Celestial Master petition texts (handled by Nickerson). Each piece is accompanied by a lengthy introduction covering the text's date, religious background, terminology, and scholarly debates, with translations that are both rigorous and readable. This book gave English readers direct access for the first time to the core texts of early Daoism, greatly advancing the study of Six Dynasties Daoism; its discussions of the relationship between the Lingbao scriptures and Buddhist influence, the revelation narratives of the Shangqing scriptures, and the communal ethics of the Way of the Celestial Masters remain starting points for research to this day. Bokenkamp also wrote Ancestors and Anxiety (2007), examining the Daoist reception of the concept of reincarnation, another important work in the field.
Key Ideas
- English translation and study of key early Daoist scriptures
- Includes the Xiang'er Commentary, the Duren jing, the Zhengao, and more
- Each piece has a lengthy introduction covering date and background
- Advanced the study of Six Dynasties Daoism in the English-speaking world
- Discusses the relationship between the Lingbao scriptures and Buddhism
Structure
Organized by text, each with an introduction, an English translation of the original, and detailed annotation.
Editions
- University of California Press, 1997 (Taoist Classics 1)
Full Text & Online Resources
Related scriptures
Xiang'er Commentary on the Laozi, Wondrous Scripture of the Upper Chapters on Limitless Salvation (Duren jing), Declarations of the Perfected (Zhengao), Celestial Masters: History and Ritual in Early Daoist CommunitiesRelated figures
Stephen R. Bokenkamp- Stephen R. Bokenkamp, Early Daoist Scriptures, University of California Press, 1997
- University of California Press 官方书目
- Journal of Chinese Religions 书评
- 维基百科「Stephen Bokenkamp」条