At the intersection of art and religious history, Susan Naquin’s richly illustrated history presents a fresh method for studying Chinese gods and sacred places as it tells the full story of Mount Tai and the premier female deity of North China.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Front Matter -- What This Book Is About -- Mount Tai, 1008 -- The Jade Woman and the Eastern Peak, 1000–1350 -- Master of the Azure Clouds, 1350–1550 -- Beyond Mount Tai, 1400–1640 -- Toward Acceptance, 1400–1640 -- Investing in the Mountain, 1550–1630 -- A Pilgrimage Mountain, 1550–1640 -- Looking Like a Mount Tai Niangniang, Ming to Qing -- Prospering Under a New Dynasty, 1600–1900 -- A Place in the Empire, 1650–1900 -- At Home in North China, 1650–1900 -- The Bronze Ladies of Mount Tai, 1600–1900 -- Popularization through Pictures, 1800–1930 -- Changing Times for Mount Tai, 1900–2000 -- Appendices -- Endnotes -- Bibliography -- Acknowledgments -- Index.

At the intersection of art and religious history, this work suggests a fresh method for studying Chinese gods and sacred places. Susan Naquin tells the full story of the transformations of the Lady of Mount Tai, North China’s most important female deity, and her mountain home. This generously illustrated visual history presents a rich array of overlooked statues, prints, murals, and paintings of gods that were discovered in museums, auctions, and extensive travel. By focusing on ordinary images, temples, and region-based materiality Naquin demonstrates how this flexibly gendered new god flourished while her male predecessor was neglected. Both suffered greatly during the last century, but Mount Tai continues to be a culturally significant monument and China’s most popular tourist mountain.

Description based on print version record.