Pivot of the Gods
My second book project examines the intersections of bibliographic and architectural technologies in medieval China. Tentatively titled The Pivot of the Gods, this book explores how that the telling, writing, reception, and distribution of scriptures in medieval Daoist temples enabled writers to position new ideas about ancient sacred sites. I closely analyze representations of sacred geography in various media (e.g., visual maps, literary maps, poetry), especially the “transitive” nature of these texts, i.e., they describe not what is, but what is going to be.
I demonstrate that the production of scriptures about a place was essential in helping an aspiring temple leader secure the human and financial resources necessary for temple construction. I also compare many different groups in an effort to show that temple building was a cultural practice transcending doctrinal and geographic boundaries. I have received many forms of financial support for this research such as Fulbright, ACLS, and Chiang Ching-kuo awards, and Academia Sinica. Two of my essays on the topic have been published, and I have presented my research at the annual meetings of the American Academy of Religion, the Association for Asian Studies, and the American Oriental Society.