Daoist Dietetics - 9781931483148

Daoist Dietetics provides an introductory overview of the main characteristics, historical developments, and recipes of the Daoist diet. It begins with two analytical parts: first a section that discusses traditional Chinese medicinal diets, the foundation of Daoist eating; then a more specific part on the theory, history, and practices of Daoist nutrition. Beyond this, it presents translations of four medieval texts on bigu, the Daoist way of transforming ordinary eating into living on qi; and concludes with a selection of recipes, divided according to dishes, such as breakfast cereals, salads, and desserts.

Conceived in close cooperation with Ute Engelhardt, master of Chinese dietetics, the book draws on resources from many different countries, periods, and academic disciplines. A pathbreaking venture, it opens new insights into the longevity methods and religious technology of traditional China.

This book is the most comprehensive and in-depth study on Daoist dietetics I know. It explains in great clarity and detail the numerous Daoist theories and methods pertaining to food and eating. It brings to light the crucial distinctions between the different sorts of objectives (such as health, healing, nutrition, ritual purification, or immortality) that Daoists had in mind, and the variations in dietetic practice that came about accordingly. This book also provides a thorough overview of food and diet in Chinese culture, all the while keeping the reader clear as to exactly which dietetic theories and methods are specifically related to Daoism. Scholars will appreciate the care and depth of the scholarship displayed here. Seekers of health, longevity and well-being will undoubtedly find much that they may want to incorporate into their lifestyles and regimens.---Stephen Eskildsen, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Professor Kohn has been a leading light in bringing together the work of fine scholars in the history of Daoism. She has excelled at interpreting their work for the ever-growing communities of people worldwide who are seeking solutions for their health in ancient China. There is little to date of great value in English on the history and culture of food and nutrition in China, notable exceptions having been ignored or widely misrepresented. Daoist Dietetics brings out the religious and cultural contexts within which Chinese ideas about dietetics developed. Written beautifully and including a stock of accessible recipes, it represents a major step forward for popular literature on Chinese food and healing.---Vivienne Lo, Wellcome Centre for the History of Medicine

Livia Kohn is Professor Emerita of Religion and East Asian Studies at Boston University.