Filial Piety and Its Divine Rewards

Name: Filial Piety and Its Divine Rewards
Brand: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
Price: 11.99 GBP
Availability: InStock

The Legend of Dong Yong and Weaving Maiden with Related Texts

Written by Wilt L. Idema

£11.99 £15.99

Low stock

Of the many ballads, tales, and plays extolling filial piety (xiao)--the foundational virtue of imperial China--none was more popular in that era than the legend of Dong Yong and his heavenly helpmate, Weaving Maiden. Continually revised and embellished over a millennium, the tale's popularity remains, finding new expression in Chinese film and opera in the twentieth century.

The five versions of the legend presented here, alongside a selection of related texts, illustrate changing perceptions of xiao from the tenth century through the first part of the twentieth in a variety of genres. An appendix traces the development of the related legend of Weaving Maiden and Buffalo Boy from myth to folktale.

Wilt L. Idema's Introduction traces the evolution of the central legend and its significance in the history of Chinese popular culture. Annotations explaining terms and references that may be unfamiliar to Western readers, a glossary, and a comprehensive bibliography further enhance the value of this book for both scholars and students.

ISBN-13: 9781603841351
Publisher: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
Imprint: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
Publication date: 15 September 2009
Format: Paperback
Pages: 144
Dimensions: 216 x 140 mm
Language: English