Sacred Space and Faith Expression: Centering on the Daoist Stelae of the Northern Dynasties
This paper examines the Daoist stelae of the Northern Dynasties through the lens of Eliade’s religious theory, with particular focus on the transformation of profane objects into sacred ones and the transition of local believers from the profane to the sacred. Utilizing Eliade’s notions of “symbol”,...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| author | Yuan Zhang |
| author_facet | Yuan Zhang |
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| description | This paper examines the Daoist stelae of the Northern Dynasties through the lens of Eliade’s religious theory, with particular focus on the transformation of profane objects into sacred ones and the transition of local believers from the profane to the sacred. Utilizing Eliade’s notions of “symbol”, “myth”, and “sacred space”, this study investigates two critical dimensions of the Daoist stelae. First, it analyzes their visuality by closely examining the imagery and symbolic systems presented on the stelae—namely, the “mythical pattern” identified by Eliade—with particular attention to representations of the main deity, the Heavenly Palace, and the <i>Xiwangmu Xianjing</i> (Queen Mother of the West’s transcendent realm). Second, it addresses their materiality by reconstructing the invisible processes associated with the stelae, focusing on the formation of sacred space and the Daoist rituals enacted therein. Applying phenomenology of religion to Daoist stelae analysis helps compensate for the limitations of extant Daoist scriptures and official historical records. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-af462f9c9adc4c9481be37d5a2c4ee7a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj-art-af462f9c9adc4c9481be37d5a2c4ee7a2025-08-20T03:29:48ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442025-06-0116678010.3390/rel16060780Sacred Space and Faith Expression: Centering on the Daoist Stelae of the Northern DynastiesYuan Zhang0Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaThis paper examines the Daoist stelae of the Northern Dynasties through the lens of Eliade’s religious theory, with particular focus on the transformation of profane objects into sacred ones and the transition of local believers from the profane to the sacred. Utilizing Eliade’s notions of “symbol”, “myth”, and “sacred space”, this study investigates two critical dimensions of the Daoist stelae. First, it analyzes their visuality by closely examining the imagery and symbolic systems presented on the stelae—namely, the “mythical pattern” identified by Eliade—with particular attention to representations of the main deity, the Heavenly Palace, and the <i>Xiwangmu Xianjing</i> (Queen Mother of the West’s transcendent realm). Second, it addresses their materiality by reconstructing the invisible processes associated with the stelae, focusing on the formation of sacred space and the Daoist rituals enacted therein. Applying phenomenology of religion to Daoist stelae analysis helps compensate for the limitations of extant Daoist scriptures and official historical records.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/6/780Daoist stelaeNorthern Dynastiesphenomenology of religionfaith expressionsacred space |
| spellingShingle | Yuan Zhang Sacred Space and Faith Expression: Centering on the Daoist Stelae of the Northern Dynasties Religions Daoist stelae Northern Dynasties phenomenology of religion faith expression sacred space |
| title | Sacred Space and Faith Expression: Centering on the Daoist Stelae of the Northern Dynasties |
| title_full | Sacred Space and Faith Expression: Centering on the Daoist Stelae of the Northern Dynasties |
| title_fullStr | Sacred Space and Faith Expression: Centering on the Daoist Stelae of the Northern Dynasties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sacred Space and Faith Expression: Centering on the Daoist Stelae of the Northern Dynasties |
| title_short | Sacred Space and Faith Expression: Centering on the Daoist Stelae of the Northern Dynasties |
| title_sort | sacred space and faith expression centering on the daoist stelae of the northern dynasties |
| topic | Daoist stelae Northern Dynasties phenomenology of religion faith expression sacred space |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/6/780 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yuanzhang sacredspaceandfaithexpressioncenteringonthedaoiststelaeofthenortherndynasties |