{"product_id":"9781041096047","title":"Money God Temples in Taiwan : Transcendence and Metaphysics in Chinese Religion by Fabian Graham","description":"This book traces the history and development of Taiwan's new money god tradition, where, by borrowing a small sum of blessed `fortune money' and returning it with interest within a year, a temple's deity may intervene in the recipient's life, bringing them unearned good luck and good fortune.   Comprising an in- depth ethnography based on a decade of research, the book explores Taiwan's money god tradition, revealing its ritual culture and underlying beliefs, thoroughly analyzed from sociological, comparative historical\/ geographic, Taoist, Buddhist, metaphysical, and philosophical contexts. Drawing on Taoist and Buddhist cosmology, Chinese afterlife beliefs, and a trust in the power of the gods to influence the material world, the narrative explores the subjective nature of luck and fate; of human desires, choices and decisions; and of individuals' subjective understandings of what the universe contains. These factors all contribute to the book's final question, which, through an exploration of human- deity interactions, investigates whether Jacques Derrida's true, un- reciprocal gift exists on a transcendent level amid the religious exchanges within Taiwan's money god tradition.   This will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of Chinese religion and Taiwanese culture, as well as those with an interest in East Asian philosophy and religion.\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Hardback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56368554705269,"sku":"9781041096047","price":145.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/products\/9781041096047","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}