First published in French in 1956; this classic work integrates the study of Buddhist doctrine with that of Chinese society from the fifth to the tenth centuries.
#1118004 in Books 1989-10-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.22 x .83 x 5.00l; 1.25 #File Name: 0231069758377 pages
Review
3 of 7 people found the following review helpful. badly written and shallow scholarshipBy A CustomerThis orientalist account by an American who does not even know Arabic is a shameful example of what is wrong with western anthropology in its encounter with the Arab World. The work ignores the nuances of women's and men's lives in Morocco and simplifies complex realities so much that one wonders if the author even did any fieldwork in thecountry at all.The monarchy she represents--a repressive and brutal violater of human rights--is not even remotely critiqued and one gets the sense that the author does not care a great deal about those she writes about who must continue to live under this regime long after anthropologist leaves. An entire book about a regime that engages in systematic torture and not one word about torture or human rights abuses in the whole account? This shallow work is best ignored. Those interested in the dynamics the work tries to take up would be off reading Abdullah Hammoudi's work on Morocco.4 of 6 people found the following review helpful. An exeptional ethnohistorical workBy A CustomerDrawing upon a wealth of ethnographic and historical resources; the author builds an intriguing picture of the significance of ritual and metaphor throughout Moroccan history. This text is a "must read" for anyone interested in the region; or for those interested in the sociocultural dynamics of Islamic practice.
