EAST 153 - Religious Rituals in East Asia

FC ARHU CD

4 credits
Ritual has always played a central role in the religions of East Asia. In this course, we conduct case studies of ritual practices representative of each major tradition (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, Shinto), as well as several that defy neat categorization. We will study ritual as compelling practices through which religious actors have sought to transform self, society, and cosmos. Orthopraxy, performance, affect, and the body are some the key themes we’ll consider in our engagements with textual primary sources as well as video and audio recordings of rituals as performed and recreated in contemporary settings.
This course is cross-listed with RELG 229

This course is appropriate for new students.