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9781498521048

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Contemporary Western society is replete with dietary advice, much of it backed by a thriving supplement industry. Nevertheless, increasing numbers of people seek inner balance using guidance from ancient traditions. Centering body movement practices, such as qigong and taiji, are widely known, but information from ancient texts on the relationship between diet and optimal health is harder to come by. This book discusses historical and cultural contexts for a selection of ancient Chinese 'recipes' utilizing various food and herbal ingredients. Arthur (Appalachian State Univ.), who specializes in Chinese religions and 'the intersection of religion, culture, medicine, and the body,' then evaluates the recipes' potential therapeutic value from a modern scientific perspective. Appendixes include lists of recipe titles, proposed health benefits, ingredients, and translations of selected recipes. A Sourcebook in Chinese Longevity, by L. Kohn (CH, Dec'12, 50-2099), also contains a substantive discussion of ancient Daoist dietary practices. Useful for researchers specializing in Daoist traditions relating to health and longevity. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers/faculty, and professionals/practitioners. CHOICE Early Daoist Dietary Practices: Examining Ways to Health and Longevity makes a significant contribution to our understanding of medieval Daoist practice, to our appreciation of the concerns of Chinese religious practitioners, as well as to our awareness of food- and health-related practices both historically and today. It provides pertinent arguments, analyses, and insights on all levels-translation, presentation, historical placement, and comparative evaluation-moving from one strong point to the next. It is a must read for anyone interested in Chinese religion and Daoism. -- Livia Kohn, Boston University Shawn Arthur's study of a classical Chinese dietary text explains how Daoists tried to eat their way to immortality and beyond. The Wufuxu, or Explanation of the Five talismans, provides over sixty recipes for long life, perfect health and supernatural powers. What makes this book stand out, however, is that the author has also interviewed Chinese Daoist monks about their dietary practices, and theorized Daoist dietary regimens from the perspectives of contemporary medicine, medical anthropology and evolutionary psychology. By employing a range of theoretical frameworks to ask radical questions about diet, religion and the body, the author breathes new life into a classic text and revitalizes the field of Daoist Studies. -- James Miller, Queen's University, Canada

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Shawn Arthur is associate professor of Religion at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. His teaching and research focus on early Daoism; Chinese religions; the intersection of religion, culture, medicine, and the body; and method and theory in the study of religion.

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