The Magnitude of Ming: Command, Allotment, and Fate in Chinese Culture

Few ideas in Chinese discourse are as ubiqitous as ming, variously understood as "command," "allotted lifespan," "fate," or "life." In the earliest days of Chinese writing, ming was already present, invoked in divinations and etched into ancient bronzes; it has continued to inscribe itself down to the twenty-first century in literature and film. This volume assembles twelve essays by some of the most eminent scholars currently working in Chinese studies to produce the first comprehensive study in English of ming's broad web of meanings. The essays span the history of Chinese civilization and represent disciplines as varied as religion, philosophy, anthropology, literary studies, history, and sociology. Cross-cultural comparisons between ancient Chinese views of ming and Western conceptions of moira and fatum are discussed, providing a specific point of departure for contrasting the structure of attitudes between the two civilizations.
This authoritative collection testifies to the salience of ming in Chinese culture. It will appeal to a broad readership, including those interested in the history, philosophy, religion, literature, studies of gender, and anthropology of China and other related Asian cultures.