Ritual Performance in Early Chinese Thought - by Thomas Radice (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This book analyzes early Chinese ritual discourse during the Warring States and early Western Han Periods, arguing that the Ruists (Confucians) conceived ritual as primarily a dramaturgical matter, which had wide-ranging effects on the ways authors of early Chinese texts discussed matters of religion, ethics, and politics. It reveals how performance became a fundamental feature of political life, making theatrical "presence" a necessary element for either expression or deception in a community of spectators"--

Book Synopsis

Examining early Chinese ritual discourse during the Warring States and early Western Han Periods, this book reveals how performance became a fundamental feature of ritual and politics in early China. Through a dramaturgical lens, Thomas Radice explores the extent to which performer/spectator relationships influenced all aspects of early Chinese religious, ethical, and political discourse.

Arguing that the Confucians conceived ritual as primarily a dramaturgical matter, this book demonstrates not only that theatricality was necessary for expression and deception in a community of spectators, but also how a theatrical 'presence' ultimately became essential to all forms of public life in early China. Thomas Radice illuminates previously unexplored connections between early Chinese texts, aesthetics, and traditions.

Review Quotes

In this thoughtful new book, Thomas Radice addresses the early Chinese debate over conceptualizing ritual as a kind of performance, including complex view that performing rituals can help us discover, and productively channel, deep-seated emotions.
Paul R. Goldin, Professor of East Asian Languages & Civilizations, University of Pennsylvania, USA

Proceeding from the perspectives of dramaturgy, theatricality, and spectatorship, Thomas Radice provides us with an insightful discussion to enrich our overall understanding of one of Confucianism's trickiest features, namely "ritual"
Geir Sigurðsson, Professor of Chinese Studies, University of Iceland, Iceland

About the Author

Thomas Radice is Professor of Chinese History at Southern Connecticut State University, USA.