What Is Hell? How Daoism Challenges the Strong View

This article argues that Daoism embodies a performative approach to hell. To make this argument, the first section summarizes the “strong view of hell”. The second section explores how the Daoist text <i>Scripture of the Three Offices</i> (<i>Sanguan jing</i> 三官經) describes h...

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Main Author: Bony Schachter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Religions
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/2/107
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author Bony Schachter
author_facet Bony Schachter
author_sort Bony Schachter
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description This article argues that Daoism embodies a performative approach to hell. To make this argument, the first section summarizes the “strong view of hell”. The second section explores how the Daoist text <i>Scripture of the Three Offices</i> (<i>Sanguan jing</i> 三官經) describes hell. The third section examines how the Daoist priest Nie Shihao 聶士豪 (fl. 1691) interprets this description of hell. His commentary shows that Chinese rituals constitute a venue whereby social actors pursue ritual criticism and self-reflexivity.
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spelling doaj-art-2a3a2c7de3864f979da529a42a12cc202025-08-20T03:12:01ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442025-01-0116210710.3390/rel16020107What Is Hell? How Daoism Challenges the Strong ViewBony Schachter0Department of Chinese History and Culture, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong KongThis article argues that Daoism embodies a performative approach to hell. To make this argument, the first section summarizes the “strong view of hell”. The second section explores how the Daoist text <i>Scripture of the Three Offices</i> (<i>Sanguan jing</i> 三官經) describes hell. The third section examines how the Daoist priest Nie Shihao 聶士豪 (fl. 1691) interprets this description of hell. His commentary shows that Chinese rituals constitute a venue whereby social actors pursue ritual criticism and self-reflexivity.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/2/107Daoismhellritualstrong view of hell
spellingShingle Bony Schachter
What Is Hell? How Daoism Challenges the Strong View
Religions
Daoism
hell
ritual
strong view of hell
title What Is Hell? How Daoism Challenges the Strong View
title_full What Is Hell? How Daoism Challenges the Strong View
title_fullStr What Is Hell? How Daoism Challenges the Strong View
title_full_unstemmed What Is Hell? How Daoism Challenges the Strong View
title_short What Is Hell? How Daoism Challenges the Strong View
title_sort what is hell how daoism challenges the strong view
topic Daoism
hell
ritual
strong view of hell
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/2/107
work_keys_str_mv AT bonyschachter whatishellhowdaoismchallengesthestrongview