Much has been written on how temples are constructed or reconstructed for reviving local religious and communal life or for recycling tradition after the market reforms in China. The dynamics between the state and society that lie behind the revival of temples and religious practices initiated by the locals have been well-analysed. However, there is a gap in the literature when it comes to understanding religious revivals that were instead led by local governments. This book examines the revival of worship of the Chinese Deity Huang Daxian and the building of many new temples to the god in mainland China over the last 20 years. It analyses the role of local governments in initiating temple construction projects in China, and how development-oriented temple-building activities in Mainland China reveal the forces of transnational ties, capital, markets and identities, as temples were built with the hope of developing tourism, boosting the local economy, and enhancing Chinese identities for Hong Kong worshippers and Taiwanese in response to the reunification of Hong Kong to China. Including chapters on local religious memory awakening, pilgrimage as a form of tourism, women temple managers, entrepreneurialism and the religious economy, and based on extensive fieldwork, Chan and Lang have produced a truly interdisciplinary follow up to The Rise of a Refugee God which will appeal to students and scholars of Chinese religion, Chinese culture, Asian anthropology, cultural heritage and Daoism alike.

Much has been written on how temples are constructed or reconstructed for reviving local religious and communal life or for recycling tradition after the market reforms in China. The dynamics between the state and society that lie behind the revival of temples and religious practices initiated by the locals have been well-analysed. However, there is a gap in the literature when it comes to understanding religious revivals that were instead led by local governments. This book examines the revival of worship of the Chinese Deity Huang Daxian and the building of many new temples to the god in mainland China over the last 20 years. It analyses the role of local governments in initiating temple construction projects in China, and how development-oriented temple-building activities in Mainland China reveal the forces of transnational ties, capital, markets and identities, as temples were built with the hope of developing tourism, boosting the local economy, and enhancing Chinese identities for Hong Kong worshippers and Taiwanese in response to the reunification of Hong Kong to China. Including chapters on local religious memory awakening, pilgrimage as a form of tourism, women temple managers, entrepreneurialism and the religious economy, and based on extensive fieldwork, Chan and Lang have produced a truly interdisciplinary follow up to The Rise of a Refugee God which will appeal to students and scholars of Chinese religion, Chinese culture, Asian anthropology, cultural heritage and Daoism alike.

This book provides an illustrated introduction to Chinese architecture, a reference for modern design and a window into China's history.

Ritual and Ceremonial Buildings details the formation and historical development of ritual architecture, from the Confucian ritual concept to the sacrificial architecture of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The term "ritual architecture" is applied to buildings and structures constructed for sacrificial purposes, such as altars and temples. In feudal China, altars and temples were built according to strict traditions, and so naturally ritual buildings became an important part of China's ancient architecture. The first part ofRitual and Ceremonial Buildings traces ritual architecture as it developed from the Confucian philosophy that advocated the governing of the country by rites. In the second part, Sun Dazhang details these buildings with beautiful color photographs and explanatory captions, highlighting the artistic significance of the spectacular altars, temples and halls of ancient China. As Confucianism became a national philosophy, the sacrificial altars and temples for worship began to fall under the direct control of the government. Their magnificence today can very well be compared with that of imperial palaces, large monasteries, and Taoist temples. This volume most notably highlights the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties held sacrificial ceremonies to heaven and prayed for rain and a good harvest. It also discusses the many different types of sacrificial architecture, including temples for the worship of natural gods, temples for the worship of ancestors, and temples for the worship of sages. Including 119 color photographs, 26 illustrations and figures, and 3 maps, Ritual and Ceremonial Buildings documents the various examples of ritual and ceremonious architecture in ancient China. This volume displays the luxurious internal and external details of numerous halls and temples, presenting to the reader the skilled artistry that characterized ancient Chinese architecture.

The book provides highlights on the key concepts and trends of evolution in History of Temples and Churches in China, as one of the series of books of “China Classified Histories”.