Guan Yu: The Religious Afterlife of a Failed Hero

Cover; Guan Yu: The Religious Afterlife Of A Failed Hero; Copyright; Preface; Contents; List Of Maps, Pictures, And Tables; Abbreviations; Conventions; China's Principal Dynasties; 1: Historical Figure And Divine Being; The Historical Guan Yu; Hagiography And Historiography; Local Experiences; 2: Demon And Monastic Protector; The Dangyang Cult; The Original Cult Near The River; The Founding Miracle Of The Jade Spring Monastery; The Rising Fame Of Guan Yu As A Deity; The Buddhist Connection; The Earliest Spread Of The Cult; Lord Guan As A Monastic Guardian; Concluding Comments 3: The Exorcism Of The Salt Ponds At Xiethe Salt Ponds Of Xie Prefecture; Executing The Dragon; The Exorcism Of The Dragon; Lord Guan, The Daoist Exorcist General; The Heavenly Master As A Queller Of Demons; The Spread Of The Cult In A Daoist Context; Destroying Chiyou; The Full Northern Version; The Origins Of The Northern Version; Rounding Up The Evidence; 4: A Deity's Conquest Of China; The Role Of Narrative Traditions; Analysing The Geographical Distribution Of The Cult; The Spread Of The Cult Through The Centuries; The Early Rise Of The Cult; A Long Term Perspective; Appendix A Survey Of Early Foundations And Restorations5: The Divine Presence; Meeting The Deity; Early Imaginings; Divine Representations; Experiencing The Deity In Real Life; Enacting The Deity; The Defeat Of Chiyou; The Divine Presence In Theatrical Traditions; Early Evidence; Theatre And Local Worship; The Deity's Presence In Theatre; Guan Yu's Life In Folktales; The Fighter Of Bullies; The Misogynous Hero And The Absence Of Female Worship; Providing Narrative Context; 6: Bringing Rain And Protection; The Rain Deity; A Dragon Deity; The Thirteenth Day Of Fifth Month; The Incarnated Dragon The Divine Bringer Of Rainthe Fighting Protector; Fighting Demons; Fighting Illness; Fighting Barbarians, Bandits, Pirates, And Rebels; Supporting The Empire; A God Of Wealth; Concluding Comments; 7: The Educated Deity; A Protector Of The Educated Elite; The Literate Deity; The Cult At The Gate Of Proper Yang; Master Of The Spring And Autumn Annals; Literate Communication; Prognostication Slips; Spirit Writing; Concluding Remarks; 8: Martial Keeper Of Morals; Divine Punisher; Author Of Moral Treatises; Morality Books; The True Scripture To Awaken The World The Scripture Illuminating Saintlinesssaviour In A Time Of Crisis; Moral Rearmament; Becoming The Jade Emperor; Concluding Comments; 9: Summing Up And Looking Forward; Constructing Stories; Legitimating Social Values; Models For Interpreting Divine Cults; Bibliography; Abbreviations And Major Source Publications; Bibliography; Index Barend J. Ter Haar. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 255-280) And Index.